Leonhart Fuchs. The New Herbal

Leonhart Fuchs (1501–1566) is considered one of the founders of modern botany, honored to this day by the flower and color Fuchsia named after him. In 1543, he combined his extensive botanical knowledge with pioneering medical research in his work New Herbal, a catalog of around 500 plant species and their healing properties.

The book was not only a reliable scientific reference work but also gained fame primarily through the detail and quality of its illustrations. In addition to essays on the characteristics, origin, and healing powers of the plants, Fuchs depicted each species in carefully executed woodcuts, which enabled quick identification and set new standards in accuracy and quality for botanical publications. At the same time, New Herbal documented plants from the newly discovered New World, including tobacco, corn, beans, and cacti – the first visual records of these species in Europe. This edition is based on Fuchs's own hand-colored copy, which has astonishingly survived in almost pristine condition for over four and a half centuries. With over 500 magnificent illustrations and an accompanying essay on the history of medicinal herbs, the work is equally fascinating for medical historians, art historians, gardeners, and anyone interested in medicinal plants.

The work was published in 2022 by Taschen GmbH in German. With ISBN 9783836587648 (ISBN-10: 3836587645) and a hardcover, it comprises 892 pages. The extensive edition is of high quality and is aimed at readers who are interested in detailed and carefully prepared content.

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