Water Calamint (Calamintha aquatica) – Original Hand-Colored Engraving by Elisabeth Blackwell

This refined botanical engraving depicts Water Calamint (Calamintha aquatica), presenting an upright herb with opposite leaves and small pinkish blossoms arranged in whorls, accompanied by separate details of flower, calyx, and seed for accurate botanical reference.

The composition is slender and clearly structured: a central stem rises with measured branching, while the repeated leaf pairs create a steady visual rhythm. Elisabeth Blackwell’s careful observation keeps the plant readable at a glance, and the isolated anatomical details reinforce the plate’s practical, medicinal intent.

Produced in the early eighteenth century, this plate forms part of A Curious Herbal, a work designed to support medical and apothecary practice through reliable visual identification of useful plants.

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Visual and Aesthetic Analysis

The plant’s vertical habit and evenly spaced leaf nodes create an airy, architectural composition. Delicate flower clusters punctuate the stem with understated colour, balancing the graphic simplicity of the foliage.

Restrained hand-colouring emphasizes structure over ornament. Soft greens and muted pink tones preserve botanical clarity, while the minimal background space enhances the specimen’s quiet elegance.

About the Subject

Water calamint—recorded here as Calamintha aquatica—was valued among aromatic herbs used in early European medicine for digestive and calming preparations. Associated with damp habitats and waterways, it was often gathered for infusions and household remedies, where its scent and warming character were considered beneficial. Because calamints and related mints could be easily confused in the field, accurate depiction of leaf arrangement, flower whorls, and calyx form was essential. Blackwell’s plate reflects this practical need, providing a clear reference suited to everyday apothecary use.

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. A tiny paper impurity is present in the upper right area, creating a very slight localized toning; it is minor and unobtrusive. The impression is crisp and well defined, with well-preserved hand-colouring and intact engraved inscriptions, including the artist’s credit “Eliz. Blackwell delin. sculp. et pinx.”

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

Curatorial Context

This engraving forms part of a rare botanical group depicting three closely related Calamintha species, as illustrated by Elisabeth Blackwell in A Curious Herbal. While Calamintha aquatica documents a moisture-associated form gathered near waterways, the complete group offers a broader comparative view of habitat, morphology, and medicinal application within the genus.

Collectors and scholars interested in the full botanical narrative may explore the complete curated trio here:
Three Calamints – Botanical Trio from A Curious Herbal

For further context on Elisabeth Blackwell and the medicinal herbs documented in A Curious Herbal, see our editorial feature:

Elisabeth Blackwell – A Curious Herbal