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Aloe Ferox (Aloe ferox) – Original Hand-Colored Engraving by Abraham Munting, Antique Botanical Print (1696)
€1,650.00
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A striking 17th-century botanical engraving from Abraham Munting’s Nauwkeurige Beschryving der Aardgewassen, later known as Phytographia Curiosa, depicting Aloe ferox in an elaborate ornamental vase. A highly theatrical composition combining botanical rarity, sculptural form and strong decorative presence.
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Authentic antique prints
Original engravings from the 17th–19th century.
Aloe Ferox: Monumental Exotic Form in a Baroque Botanical Setting
This original late 17th-century hand-colored copper engraving depicts Aloe Ferox, traditionally identified as Aloe ferox, from Abraham Munting’s Dutch work Nauwkeurige Beschryving der Aardgewassen, later known as Phytographia Curiosa, published in 1696. The plate reflects Munting’s distinctive vision of botany as both scientific inquiry and staged visual spectacle.
Unlike later botanical prints, the plant is not shown as an isolated specimen alone, but elevated within an ornate architectural setting. The result is a composition of exceptional presence, where natural form and decorative invention are deliberately intertwined.
— • —
Visual and Aesthetic Analysis
The composition is dominated by a powerful rosette of spiked leaves, rendered in warm ochre, olive, copper and brown tones that create a dense, almost sculptural mass. The sharply serrated edges intensify the plant’s visual energy, giving it an assertive, architectural character.
This dramatic botanical form rises from an elaborate ornamental vase, decorated with marine motifs, putti and a central cartouche bearing the name Aloe Ferox. The vessel transforms the engraving into a hybrid of botanical study and decorative art, highly characteristic of Munting’s imaginative approach.
The inclusion of small human figures at the side introduces scale and narrative, while the pedestal below lends the entire composition a monumental effect. The image reads not simply as a plant portrait, but as a carefully staged object of wonder.
The large format of the sheet, together with generous original margins, reinforces the engraving’s presence and balance, making it especially effective both as a collector’s piece and as a statement work for display.
About the Species
Aloe ferox, commonly known as bitter aloe or Cape aloe, is native to southern Africa and has long attracted attention for its bold structure and imposing spiny foliage. In early modern Europe, plants of this kind were especially admired for their exotic character and sculptural appearance.
Within seventeenth-century botanical culture, species such as aloe occupied a special place: they were valued not only as natural specimens, but also as marvels of form, ideally suited to the visual and intellectual world of the cabinet of curiosities.
Heritage Stories
This engraving belongs to Nauwkeurige Beschryving der Aardgewassen, later known as Phytographia Curiosa, published in 1696 by Abraham Munting — a work that captures the intersection of science, collecting and visual culture in the seventeenth century.
Examples with original contemporary hand-coloring are particularly scarce. Many impressions found on the market today have later coloring, whereas early colorings preserve a closer relationship to the engraved structure and a more refined tonal balance.
Explore the full collection of Munting botanical engravings: Munting – Botanical Prints.
Discover more in our editorial feature: Abraham Munting — Botanical Curiosity and Early Natural Science.
Condition Report
Excellent antique condition. Original hand-coloring remains fresh and vibrant, with strong engraved definition throughout. Printed on fine original laid (vergé) paper. The sheet retains generous original margins, clean and well balanced. No watermark observed. A particularly attractive and well-preserved example.
Details
- Author: Abraham Munting
- Work: Nauwkeurige Beschryving der Aardgewassen (later known as Phytographia Curiosa)
- Species: Aloe Ferox (Aloe ferox)
- Year: 1696 (edition)
- Technique: Original copper engraving, entirely hand-colored
- Paper: Original laid (vergé) paper
- Watermark: None observed
- Sheet size: approx. 44 × 29 cm
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A striking 17th-century botanical engraving from Abraham Munting’s Nauwkeurige Beschryving der Aardgewassen, later known as Phytographia Curiosa, depicting Aloe ferox in an elaborate ornamental vase. A highly theatrical composition combining botanical rarity, sculptural form and strong decorative presence.