During the 16th, 17th and 18th Centuries, there was an ever increasing interest in the
natural world and the recording of the discoveries of Asia and the new world. The use of
herbal remedies was constantly on the rise as well as the beginning of the classification of
plants resulting in the need for scientific illustration. Realistic drawings of plants became
necessary with the development of herbal medicines. These drawings were originally used
in relation to the early attempts at medication and the need to identify specific plants.
In this series of herbs, I wish to combine the style of 16th, 17th and 18th Century botanical
painting with that of the detail found in scientific illustration.