Herbal book collection (15th-20th c.)

"Many of these books contain ornate representations and pictorial allegories. Some application of medicinal plants in the old herbal books seems strange; one can only guess at some representations of unicorns, death, and devils. Impressive also are the scientific apparatuses accurately drawn centuries ago and the aesthetically pleasing plant drawings. The correspondence between selected book authors revealed not only research preferences for certain plants or animals, but also gave insights into their families, living conditions, financial problems, time constraints, and the exchange of knowledge and plant material that was common at that time. Likewise, it became more recognizable who preferred to write for wealthy readers or rather for the general public, who wrote "bestsellers" with more than 20 editions or secretly copied from others, and whether letter writers were friends or in competition with each other. [...] Several books have pharmacognostic, medical or chemical treatises on the subject, some are provided only with text or handwritten annotations, others contain detailed, colorful illustrations as woodcuts, copperplate engravings or later as photographs. [...] The complete preservation of Hartwich's library and collection makes the working and thinking of a turn-of-the-century professor of pharmacognosy comprehensible."

Excerpt, Brauckmann B., Schweiz Z Ganzheitsmed 2015; 27: 133-​134.

A foray through selected works

The above paragraph makes it clear: The books contain far too much information to be summarized here in brevity and completeness. However, the images and PDFs below with illustrations of selected books, arranged by centuries, provide a first impression. Exciting stories can be found in the articles, which are listed as reading tips at the end of the page. There, the authors accompany two scholars on the trail of opium and coffee, reveal how herbal books became the subject of dispute during the Renaissance, how tulips became a treasure with usurious prices, and introduce special personalities: from hitherto unknown alchemists to plant illustrators, engravers, to helpless employers and loving wives. (Photos: Lisa Mark, Compilation PDFs: Dr. Barbara Brauckmann).

Literature and reading tips

In nine publications, published by Karger Verlag, Barbara Brauckmann and Martin Kluge reveal exciting background stories about Hartwich’s books: How did the herbal book evolve from being a medical reference work to a botanical enthusiast's object? What did the authors experience? How did microscopy actually develop? And much more ... (only available in German).