Florilegium

Florilegium, or flower books, were compiled as visual explanations of plants, illustrating as many aspects of a flower as possible including its roots and growth. This is one of the earliest florilegia and is notable for being the first published use of the word ‘Florilegium’ and consists of twenty plates, plus frontispiece. It was engraved by Adriaen Collaert and published by Philip Galleo of Antwerp in 1593. Gift of Sir Hardy Amies K.V.O.