Pl. 374 by Elizabeth Blackwell

Pl. 374 by Elizabeth Blackwell

C. 1747

Hand Colored Engraving

Featured as Plate 374 (Anisum, anise or Pimpinella anisum) in Elizabeth Blackwell’s 18th-century masterwork, A Curious Herbal, this hand-colored copperplate engraving presents a detailed study of the aromatic culinary and medicinal plant. The illustration captures the specimen's distinctive growth habit, featuring broad, feathery lower leaves, slender branching stems, and umbels of small flowers alongside meticulous floral and seed dissections. Renowned since antiquity as a soothing digestive aid and culinary spice, anise also symbolized restoration and comfort in traditional botanical lore. Crisp engraved linework combined with subtle green watercolor washes brings out the plant's delicate structure, framed at the bottom by calligraphic inscriptions in Latin and German.

Created by Elizabeth Blackwell (1699–1758), a pioneering Scottish illustrator, this engraving represents a heroic achievement in scientific publishing. Facing financial ruin after her husband was imprisoned for debt, she undertook the extraordinary task of drawing, engraving, and hand-coloring 500 plates to secure his release. Published between 1737 and 1739 and lauded by the Royal College of Physicians, the project established a crucial precedent for women in science by proving a self-taught female artist could single-handedly produce a cornerstone medical reference.

Dimensions: H 15 1/2”x 10”W

Condition: Slight toning, slight tear on top edge