Peas (Pisum sativum) – Original Hand-Colored Engraving by Elisabeth Blackwell

This refined botanical engraving depicts Peas (Pisum sativum), presenting the plant with clear emphasis on flowering, pod formation, and overall growth habit.

Rendered with careful restraint, its slender stems and curling tendrils create a light, ascending structure. Broad, softly modelled leaves frame the developing pods, while Elisabeth Blackwell’s precise observation allows each botanical element to remain distinct and easily legible.

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, in which drawing, copper engraving, and hand-colouring were executed by the same hand.

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Visual and Aesthetic Analysis

The composition unfolds vertically with gentle lateral movement, guided by tendrils that introduce rhythm and visual continuity. The elongated pods act as focal elements, balancing the broader leaf surfaces and anchoring the composition.

Subtle tonal gradations give volume to the leaves and pods without heavy contrast, resulting in a calm, coherent palette. The restrained hand-colouring reinforces botanical clarity while preserving a quiet decorative elegance.

About the Subject

Peas (Pisum sativum) were widely cultivated and carefully documented in early European herbals for both dietary use and medicinal associations. Their inclusion reflects the importance of accurately representing common food plants, whose flowers, pods, and growth stages needed to be clearly distinguished from related legumes for reliable identification in domestic and apothecary contexts. Blackwell’s plate fulfils this practical purpose while maintaining an understated visual harmony.

Condition Report

The engraving is in exceptionally fine antique condition, printed on original handmade laid paper typical of early 18th-century botanical publications. No watermark has been observed. The surface remains fresh and stable, with light, even age-related toning consistent with period paper. A small loss is visible at the lower left corner, confined to the margin and unobtrusive, without affecting the botanical image or engraved text. The impression is crisp and legible throughout. The engraved credit “Eliz. Blackwell delin. sculp. et pinx.” is present and fully legible, confirming the unified authorship of the plate.

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: None observed
• Sheet size: approx. 37 × 22 cm

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

Elisabeth Blackwell – A Curious Herbal