Fungi. Poyfonous Mufhrums. Poisonous Mushrooms. Gerarde's Herball woodcut c1597

by Gerarde, John

16thC antique print - including Auricula Indae, Jewes eares.

Original woodcut-printed page for The Herball, or Generall Historie of Plantes by John Gerarde, published in London circa 1597 by John Norton. Trained as a barber-surgeon, John Gerarde (1545-1612) was apprenticed for seven years before practising medicine - and later became warden of the Barber-Surgeon Company. Gerarde pursued his interest in horticulture and maintained a large garden in London - as well as working as superintendent of the gardens of William Cecil, Lord Burghley (1521-1598). Gerarde studied the writings of other botanists and translated the work of Flemish botanist, Rembertus Dodoens. Gerarde's Herball was the most famous British Herball of the sixteenth century and included over 1,000 plants from his own garden.

Over 400 years ago when these prints were carved for printing, paper was an expensive commodity. Printed on thin hand-made paper, the heavily inked woodcuts and block printing of text often show through from the reverse side of the page which adds distinctive character to each image. Other poisonous mushrooms are illustrated on the reverse of the page.

Size of page 33 x 20cm (13 x 8 inches).