Lot 152: RUEL, JEAN.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

De Natura stirpium libri tres. Paris: Simon de Colines, 1536

first edition, folio (382 x 256mm.), elaborate pictorial woodcut title border and numerous criblé initials, contemporary vellum, later morocco label, small wormhole (filled) touching top portion of title and blank margins of the following three leaves, a single wormhole in index touching a few letters, foot of spine a little worn

Adams R872; Hunt 39; Mortimer 471; Norman 1857 (this copy); Schreiber Colines 143; Stillwell 693

H.F. Norman, bookplate

an important descriptive botany, "generally cited as one of the handsomest books of its time" (Mortimer).

Jean Ruel (1479-1537) was physician to Francis I and a translator of Dioscorides. In the present work he describes some 600 plants, based on Theophrastus and Pliny, as well as a number of species not occurring in classical texts. He adds French names which he obtained by questioning the peasants and mountaineers on his plant-hunting trips. This work was the first general botanical text since the time of Theophrastus, on whose works it is modelled.