About Basilius Besler - Famous Botanical Artist

Biography of Basilius Besler (1561-1629)

Basilius Besler - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Basilius Besler (1561 - 1629), was a respected Nuremberg apothecary and botanist, best known for his monumental Hortus Eystettensis. He was curator of the garden of Johann Konrad von Gemmingen, prince bishop of Eichstätt in Bavaria. The bishop was an enthusiastic botanist who derived great pleasure from his garden, which was the only important European botanical garden outside Italy.

Basilius Besler Biography

Basilius Besler (1591-1629) was a pharmacist in Nuremberg who was in charge of the bishop's gardens in Eichstätt. He also set up his own botanical gardens and developed a comprehensive collection of natural history specimens and was soon known as a botanist and collector of natural history specimens. He described his then famous natural history showcase in two books. In 1609 Besler wrote a description of the garden he created for the bishop of Eichstätt. The precious work he then produced, his famous plant atlas Hortus Eystettensis, was published in 1613 by Besler and Ludwig Jungermann and printed in large format, with the bishop financing it. The work contains 1086 illustrations of plants from 367 copperplate engravings, most of which were depicted in their natural size.

Images from the Hortus Eystettensis (The Garden of Eichstatt)

Hortus Eystettensis

In 1611, the Prince Bishop of Eichstätt in Germany was already terminally ill when he determined to record for posterity the spectacular garden he'd created at his palace in Bavaria with plants from around the world. Hundreds of his favourite flowers where carefully drawn and engraved as they bloomed through the four seasons. Published in 1613, the finished catalogue was the largest and most magnificent florilegium ever made. Sadly, the prince bishop never lived to see it: he died the year before.

The British Library has a copy of the Hortus Eystettensis and an extended article about the development of both garden, artwork and the printing of the book

Basilius Besler Gallery

W. Graham Arader III: Paintings, rare books, prints, maps and atlases. - gallery of images from the 'HORTUS EYSTETTENSIS (

His 'HORTUS EYSTETTENSIS (The Garden of Eichstatt)' contains 374 plates and took 16 years to complete. The principal engraver was Wolfgang Kilian (1581-1662); as many as ten other artists and engravers may also have been employed. Over one thousand flowers were depicted, representing 667 species with exemplary fidelity to nature. The rhythmic patterns of roots, however, betray the decorative linear conventions of the era of Albrecht Durer and Lucas Cranach.

The 'HORTUS EYSTETTENSIS' was one of the first printed herbals to be illustrated. Such an undertaking was of inestimable value to doctors, pharmacists- and their patients. The 'HORTUS EYSTETTENSIS' also represented a significant effort to systematize botanical nomenclature, which would not be standardized until the publication of Linnaeus' system in 1753.

Botanical prints, Basilius Besler's Hortus Eystettensis, antique original botanical prints, Besler Botanical Prints

Original Natural History prints of Basilius Besler

Hortus Eystettensis at the Service de la documentation University of Strasbourg

A facsimile copy of the the Hortus Eystettensis (at the Service de la documentation University of Strasbourg)

Visit the Garden at Eichstatt

In 1998, a reconstruction of the original garden opened to the public in Eichstätt.

Bavarian Palace Department | Gardens | Eichstatt Bastion Garden

Short description of the Eichstatt Bastion Garden including information for tourists like opening hours etc

Bavarian Palace Department | Palaces | Willibaldsburg Castle

Short description of Willibaldsburg Castle at Eichstatt including information for tourists like opening hours, admission charges etc

Willibald Castle and Bastion Garden, Eichstatt, D-Bavaria, Germany

The castle complex on the Willibaldsberg was begun in 1355 and extended in the second half of the 16th century under Martin von Schaumberg. It was transformed into an impressive residence by Elias Holl during the reign of Prince-Bishop Johann Conrad von Gemmingen (1595-1612) - at this stage of the building's history the towers were crowned by onion domes.

Gemmingen also laid out the renowned botanical garden "Hortus Eystettensis". Based on the copperplate engravings illustrating the plant collection which were created in 1613 by Basilius Besler, the Bastion Garden opened in 1998 reproduces the plant world of the original botanical garden.

Making A Mark reviews......

Making a Mark: Book Review: Besler's Book of Flowers and Plants

In my opinion, this is the sort of book which will appeal to a real fan of the history of botanical art. It's certainly very interesting from the point of view of studying classical portrayals of plants and flowers. I also found it really interesting to see the difference between the woodcuts seen in the book reviewed yesterday and how the nature of the illustrations changed as they started to use (1) copper engraving and (2) colour.

Images of art by Basilius Besler

Basilius Besler Paintings Drawings Prints

Various images

Arader Galleries - Basilius Besler Gallery

W. Graham Arader III: Paintings, rare books, prints, maps and atlases.

Joel Oppenheimer - Basilius Besler-"Hortus Eystettensis" Deluxe Edition

Basilius Besler¹s magnificent engravings are the first large-folio natural history botanicals. His work, Hortus Eystettensis (Garden of Eichstätt), is man¹s earliest documentation of a specific garden and is the oldest of all of the great botanicals.

Joel Oppenheimer - Basilius Besler-"Hortus Eystettensis" First Edition

First edition

Joel Oppenheimer - Basilius Besler-"Hortus Eystettensis" Second Edition

Second edition

Joel Oppenheimer - Basilius Besler-"Hortus Eystettensis" Jubilee Edition

Jubilee Edition

Antique Prints: Tulipa Lutea Lituris Aureis.

From our selection of antique prints in London, this is Tulipa Lutea Lituris Aureis. by BESLER, Basilius

Antique Prints: Tulipa Lutea Maculis Rubens.

From our selection of antique prints in London, this is Tulipa Lutea Maculis Rubens. by BESLER, Basilius

Antique Prints: Tulipa Miniata Pleno Flore.

From our selection of antique prints in London, this is Tulipa Miniata Pleno Flore. by BESLER, Basilius

Antique Prints: Tulipa Serotina Polyanthos

From our selection of antique prints in London, this is Tulipa Serotina Polyanthos by BESLER, Basilius

Basilius Besler 1561-1629 - Fine Art Prints series ref. BE1,2,10,11 from ARC Prints

Basilius Besler 1561-1629 series ref. BE1,2,10,11, from the range of fine art prints published by ARC Prints.

The Antiquarium: Basilius Besler Hortus Eystettensis Florilegium antique print botanical

Antique hand-colored botanical copperplate engraving by Basilius Besler from Hortus Eystettensis

George Glazer Gallery - Antique Botanical Prints - Basilius Besler Prints from Hortus Eystettensis

Basilius Besler Prints from Hortus Eystettensis, 1613 and later.