Striped Orange Tree (Citrus aurantium) – Original Hand-Colored Engraving by Abraham Munting, Antique Botanical Print (1696)

Striped Orange Tree: Botanical Theatre in Early Natural History

This original late 17th-century hand-colored copper engraving depicts a Striped Orange Tree, traditionally associated with Citrus aurantium, from Abraham Munting’s Dutch work Nauwkeurige Beschryving der Aardgewassen, later known as Phytographia Curiosa, published in 1696. The work stands among the most distinctive botanical books of its time, where scientific observation and visual imagination converge.

Unlike later botanical illustration, Munting’s compositions present the plant as a complete and staged subject — roots, leaves, blossoms and fruit arranged with a deliberate sense of structure, transforming natural history into a form of visual theatre.

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Visual and Aesthetic Analysis

The composition is anchored by a striking ribbed orange fruit, rendered in warm tones of amber, red and gold that immediately capture the eye. Around it, deep green leaves unfold in layered rhythm, their tonal variations creating depth and movement across the plate.

Delicate white blossoms introduce a refined counterpoint, softening the composition and enhancing its chromatic balance. The vertical growth of the branch establishes a clear architectural axis, guiding the gaze upward through the structure of the plant.

What distinguishes this engraving is its setting: the botanical subject rises above an elegant terrace with sculptural ornament and a distant landscape. This integration of plant and architecture reflects the intellectual culture of the seventeenth century, where nature was collected, displayed and contemplated as both knowledge and spectacle.

The large format of the sheet, combined with generous original margins, gives the engraving a strong visual presence. The composition is framed with clarity and balance, enhancing both its decorative impact and its value as a refined collector’s object.

About the Species

Citrus aurantium, commonly known as bitter orange, was widely cultivated in early modern Europe and valued both for its fragrance and its symbolic association with exotic horticulture. Variants displaying unusual surface forms, such as ribbed or striped fruits, were especially prized within botanical gardens and aristocratic collections.

In Munting’s time, such plants embodied the expanding global networks of trade and exploration. Their engraved representation reflects not only botanical interest, but also the fascination with rarity and visual singularity that defined the culture of the cabinet of curiosities.

Condition Report

Excellent antique condition. The original hand-coloring remains exceptionally fresh and vibrant, with strong engraved definition throughout. Printed on fine original laid (vergé) paper. The sheet retains generous original margins, well preserved and proportionate, enhancing both its visual balance and collectability. No watermark observed. A particularly crisp and bright impression, highly desirable for collectors.

Details

• Author: Abraham Munting
• Work: Nauwkeurige Beschryving der Aardgewassen (later known as Phytographia Curiosa)
• Species: Striped Orange Tree (Citrus aurantium)
• Year: 1696 (edition)
• Technique: Original copper engraving, entirely hand-colored
• Paper: Original laid (vergé) paper
• Watermark: None observed
• Sheet size: approx. 44 × 29 cm