Pine Tree (Pinus sylvestris) – Original Hand-Colored Engraving by Elisabeth Blackwell

This refined botanical engraving depicts the Pine Tree (Pinus sylvestris), presenting a branch with needles, cones, and seed details arranged for clear botanical reference.

The composition is structured around a firm vertical axis, from which slender needles extend in radiating clusters. The pine cones provide visual weight and texture, while Elisabeth Blackwell’s precise handling ensures that each element—foliage, cone, and kernel—remains clearly legible within a balanced and orderly layout.

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 long, linear needles introduce a sense of upward movement and spatial rhythm, contrasting with the dense, rounded structure of the cones. This interplay of line and mass creates a dynamic yet controlled composition, guiding the viewer’s eye across the plate.

Subtle variations in green and brown tones give depth to the foliage and cones, while restrained hand-colouring preserves the engraving’s documentary clarity. The overall aesthetic balances botanical precision with quiet decorative strength.

About the Subject

Pine trees (Pinus) occupied an important place in early European medicine and domestic practice, valued not only for timber but for resin, pitch, and distilled oils derived from needles and cones. These substances were widely used in warming, antiseptic, and restorative preparations, particularly for respiratory and muscular ailments. Because resinous strength and medicinal application could vary significantly between species, herbals placed emphasis on cones, needles, and seed structure as diagnostic features. Blackwell’s inclusion of cones, kernels, and foliage reflects this practical concern, presenting the pine as a multifunctional plant whose medicinal value depended on accurate botanical identification.

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. The impression is crisp and legible throughout, with well-preserved margins. 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