Munting Abraham. Phytographia Curiosa, ... 1713.
Phytographia Curiosa, exhibens arborum, fructium, herbarum & florum Icones...
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Abraham Munting published his Waare Oeffening der Planten (Amsterdam, 1672) 4° with just 40 engraved plates. This work grew into a much larger publication, Naauwkeurige Beschryving der Aardgewassn, issued posthumously (Leiden and Utrecht 1696) F°, with enlarged text and 245 plates. Phytographia Curiosa is a further edition, with the Dutch descriptions replaced by lists of Latin synonyms by Franciscus Kiggelaer.
The plates are as curious as their subjects. They commonly present the plants far larger than life, oranges huge as pumkins, cyclamens with heavy corms floating lightly in mid-air, gentle geraniums grown into giant trees. The effect is obtained through sketching in classical or idyllic or mountainous little landscapes below. It is a weird and fascinating book. (Hunt)
Nissen (BBI), 1429; Pritzel, 6559; Hunt (Botanical Books), 404