Deutschlands flora in abbildungen nach der natur mit beschreibungen (1801-1839)

1801-1839
An excellent example of colored copperplate printing.
Plate 16-20 Peziza [copperplate engraving]

Sturm, Jacob, 1771-1848.
Deutschlands flora in abbildungen nach der natur mit beschreibungen.

[Nürnberg, 1801-1839.]

Image Courtesy of the Farlow Library of Cryptogamic Botany

 

Jakob Sturm (1771-1848) was born in Nuremberg, Germany, the only son of engraver Johann Georg Sturm. He received only a modest formal education before entering his apprenticeship under his father, who trained him in the art of drawing and copperplate engraving.

Sturm is considered by some to be the most famous engraver of entomological and botanical publications in Germany at the end of the 18th and beginning of the 19th century. Many engravings of German flora existed already; but, as Sturm wrote in 1796, "some of them are badly drawn and coloured; some have been broken up and dispersed; some are only to be found in large and splendid publications which often even the lover of botany does not get a chance of seeing once in a lifetime."

Sturm's plates are very delicately drawn and depict the smallest details. They enjoyed a great popularity among naturalists. He deliberately chose a minute format in order to make a knowledge of the German flora available by pictures to as many as possible and as cheaply as possible.