The Sweet Cistus of Candy (Cistus) – Original Hand-Colored Engraving by Elisabeth Blackwell

This refined botanical engraving depicts The Sweet Cistus of Candy, presenting a flowering shrub of balanced proportions and gentle visual rhythm, rendered with an emphasis on clarity and compositional harmony.

The plant is observed with restraint and precision: a branching structure supports softly rounded blossoms that punctuate the composition with measured elegance. Elisabeth Blackwell’s approach privileges legibility and faithful observation, allowing each botanical element to remain distinct while contributing to a cohesive whole.

Created in the early eighteenth century, this plate belongs to A Curious Herbal, a foundational medical and botanical work distinguished by the unity of its production process, in which drawing, copper engraving, and hand-colouring were executed by the same hand.

— • —

Visual and Aesthetic Analysis

The composition develops vertically through a gently branching axis, creating a sense of natural growth and continuity. The flowers are positioned with careful spacing, introducing visual pauses that balance the density of the foliage.

Soft tonal transitions define the petals, while the controlled hand-colouring enhances their rounded volume without excess contrast. Subtle variations of green articulate the foliage, reinforcing depth and botanical clarity while maintaining a calm, unified palette.

About the Subject

Species of Cistus were well known in early herbal medicine, particularly for their resinous exudates, which were valued for aromatic and medicinal purposes. Plants of this group were included in medical herbals not for ornament, but for their practical relevance within the materia medica. Accurate visual representation was therefore essential, as the identification of flowering structure and foliage played a key role for physicians and apothecaries working without standardized botanical classification. The presence of The Sweet Cistus of Candy in A Curious Herbal reflects this need for reliable visual documentation of plants associated with traditional remedies and domestic practice.

Condition Report

The engraving is in exceptionally fine antique condition, printed on original handmade laid paper typical of early 18th-century botanical publications. A period watermark is visible at the center of the sheet, bearing the logo and initials of the paper mill, consistent with contemporary papermaking practices. The surface remains fresh and stable, with no notable defects. The original hand-colouring is particularly well preserved, and the impression is crisp and clear throughout. These qualities correspond to a “like brand new” state of preservation and confirm the authenticity of the print as an original production from A Curious Herbal. The engraved credit “Eliz. Blackwell delin. sculp. et pinx.” is present and fully legible, attesting that the drawing, engraving, and hand-colouring were executed by Elisabeth Blackwell herself.

Details

• Artist: Elisabeth Blackwell
• Work / Publication: A Curious Herbal
• Period: 1737–1739
• Technique: Original copper engraving, drawn, engraved, and hand-colored by Elisabeth Blackwell
• Paper: Original handmade laid paper
• Watermark: Period watermark visible
• Sheet size: approx. 37 × 22 cm

For further context on Elisabeth Blackwell and the singular unity of authorship behind A Curious Herbal, see our editorial feature:

Elisabeth Blackwell – A Curious Herbal