Our CFA Edition giclée reproduction series of Hortus Romanus is based on selections from the celebrated eighteenth-century botanical publication by Giorgio Bonelli (1742–1782).
First issued in 1772, Hortus Romanus is regarded as one of the most scarce and important Italian botanical works of its period. Although the original prospectus proposed an edition of 300 copies, later scholarship has long indicated that this number was almost certainly never achieved, with the later portions of the work being produced in even smaller quantities. What makes this publication especially notable is its use of color. Only a limited number of the plates were hand colored at the time of publication, and as a result, genuinely colored examples from Hortus Romanus are now considered exceptionally uncommon. Contemporary and later commentators noted the distinctive character of the engravings, which were cut in a broad, expressive manner and finished with opaque color, creating plates of unusual decorative impact. Among eighteenth-century Italian botanical books, Hortus Romanus occupies a particularly important place as one of the country’s few serious contributions to color-plate botanical illustration.
Each image in this series is produced as a CFA Edition giclée reproduction, printed on acid-free cotton rag paper using archival pigment inks with a lightfastness rating of approximately 200 years, ensuring long-term stability and exceptional print quality.
Print Sizes: 12x16 and 18x24
Custom sizes and framing options are available upon request. Please contact us at nostalgiafineart@gmail.com for additional information.
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