Matthias de L'Obel (noto anche come Lobelius, 1538–1616) - Lot. of 9 sheets - "Icones stirpium, seu, Plantarum tam indigenarum quam exoticarum" - 1600

Matthias de L'Obel (also known as Lobelius, 1538–1616) was a pioneering Flemish botanist whose work significantly advanced the classification and understanding of plants during the Renaissance. The lot of 9 sheets titled "Icones stirpium, seu, Plantarum tam indigenarum quam exoticarum," dating from 1600, originates from his comprehensive botanical encyclopedia featuring detailed illustrations of both native and exotic plants. L'Obel is noted for his efforts to systematize plant taxonomy by grouping species based on leaf structure, a precursor to modern botanical classification. His illustrations combined artistic skill with scientific observation, serving as both educational tools and works of art. These sheets represent important historical documents that capture the early development of botany as a rigorous scientific discipline, reflecting the Renaissance spirit of inquiry and discovery into the natural world.