Study of mandrakes by Jim Kay, for The Philosopher’s Stone

This preparatory sketch by Jim Kay shows a baby mandrake alongside a fully-grown adult. The roots of the plant seamlessly form the adult mandrake’s body, with leaves growing from its head. In Kay’s vision, the root forms the spine of the baby mandrake. This drawing appears to be drawn from life – Jim Kay was previously a curator at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew – and it references the natural studies of plants that are typically found in any botanical library.