Walter Lack, H. Florilegium Imperiale. Botanical Illustrations for Francis I of Austria. With an essay by Marina Heilmeyer. 1st. Ed. Pub. Prestel. 2006
pp.303 with text figs. and 120 full-page colour plates. Large 4to. Very gently sunned spine o/w. a fine hardback in Publisher’s fine card sleeve with gilt text to rear.
Francis I of Austria, the last monarch to rule over the Holy Roman Empire, was obsessed with flowers. His imperial gardens, where he realized his passion for flowers, remain one of Vienna's most beloved treasures. In 1791, Francis I commissioned Matthias Schmutzer to paint portraits of every flower in the garden and this collection features 120 of the most outstanding of Schmutzer's watercolours.
£55.00 [Ref: 72251]