Acacia Engravings Set – Ehret Botanical Prints (1755)
  • Acacia Engravings Set – Ehret Botanical Prints (1755)
Acacia Engravings Set – Ehret Botanical Prints (1755)
Ehret Georg Dionysius – Acacia Botanical Suite (3 Engravings)  Antique Prints (1755)

Ehret Georg Dionysius – Acacia Botanical Suite (3 Engravings) Antique Prints (1755)

€720.00
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A curated group of three Acacia engravings by Georg Dionysius Ehret, offering a coherent botanical study of form and variation within the genus.

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  Authentic antique prints

Original engravings from the 17th–19th century.

Acacia Botanical Suite: Structure and Variation in 18th-Century Botany

This refined group of three original 18th-century hand-colored copper engravings depicts distinct species of Acacia, illustrated by Georg Dionysius Ehret for Philip Miller’s Figures of the Most Beautiful, Useful, and Uncommon Plants, published in London between 1755 and 1760. Conceived as a visual complement to the Gardeners Dictionary, this work stands among the most significant botanical publications of the Enlightenment.

Unlike earlier botanical imagery, these engravings present the plant with analytical clarity — isolating structure, form and botanical detail. Each plate reflects direct observation of living specimens, translated into a precise and highly legible visual language.

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Visual and Aesthetic Analysis

Across the three engravings, the Acacia genus is explored through variation in foliage, pods and flowering structures. The finely articulated leaves — composed of repeated, symmetrical leaflets — create a rhythmic texture that defines the visual identity of the group.

In contrast, the seed pods introduce stronger sculptural elements: elongated, curved or segmented forms that add weight and directional movement to the compositions. Floral details, rendered with delicate precision, provide subtle focal points and enrich the botanical narrative.

Each plate is constructed with clarity and balance, characteristic of Ehret’s work. The plant is isolated against a clean background, allowing its structure to emerge without distraction — a defining feature of 18th-century scientific illustration.

Viewed together, the three engravings form a coherent visual ensemble. Their shared language of line, proportion and observation creates a unified composition, particularly suited for display as a group.

About the Genus Acacia

The genus Acacia was of particular interest to 18th-century botanists due to its wide geographical distribution and structural diversity. Species were documented for their distinctive foliage, seed formations and, in some cases, their practical uses in trade and medicine.

Within the context of Miller’s work, these engravings reflect a broader effort to classify and understand plant variation through direct observation. The precision of Ehret’s drawings contributed significantly to the advancement of botanical knowledge during this period.

Heritage Stories

This group belongs to Figures of the Most Beautiful, Useful, and Uncommon Plants, a landmark publication directed by Philip Miller, head gardener of the Chelsea Physic Garden. Produced under his supervision, the engravings were drawn from living specimens and executed by leading artists of the period, including Georg Dionysius Ehret.

Each plate bears a publication line stating “Published according to Act of Parliament”, dated 1755, providing direct evidence of its original issue. Such details, together with the presence of original hand-coloring, place these engravings firmly within the first edition of the work.

Discover more about the artist: Georg Dionysius Ehret — The Art of Botanical Precision.

Browse the complete collection: Miller – Uncommon Plants Collection, featuring original 18th-century engravings that combine scientific precision with refined decorative presence.

Condition Report

Very good to excellent antique condition across the set. The engravings retain strong, well-defined impressions with finely preserved original hand-coloring and a bright, clean overall appearance. Printed on fine 18th-century laid paper, the sheets retain generous and well-balanced margins. Two of the three engravings show a pictorial watermark visible in the sheet. Minor signs of age may be present, consistent with the period, but the group remains unusually well preserved and visually coherent.

Details

  • Author: Philip Miller
  • Work: Figures of the Most Beautiful, Useful, and Uncommon Plants
  • Artist (drawing): Georg Dionysius Ehret (pinx.)
  • Engraver: As indicated on each plate (sculp.)
  • Subject: Acacia species (botanical group of three engravings)
  • Date: 1755 (first edition, as printed)
  • Publication line: “Published according to Act of Parliament…” (present on each plate)
  • Technique: Copper engraving, original hand-colored
  • Paper: Original 18th-century laid paper
  • Watermark: Two sheets with pictorial watermark visible in the sheet
  • Dimensions: approx. 44 × 28 cm (sheet)
  • Set: Group of 3 engravings
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