Herbal of Enlightenment - Set of 4

This four-print series reflects Jonathan Charles’ fascination with a time when science, craftsmanship and decorative art were inseparable. Drawn from Botanicum Medicinale (1755) by T. Sheldrake, the works celebrate copper-plate engravings created to document medicinal plants with precision and quiet beauty. Printed on Awagami handmade Japanese paper from the Fujimori family mill in Tokushima, the engravings carry the depth and tactility of a centuries-old craft tradition, echoing the scholarly precision of the original 18th-century plates. Each print is set within an exceptional hand-crafted églomisé mirror frame, richly painted in the tradition of 18th-century verre églomisé, recalling the decorative legacy later championed by Maison Jansen. Together, illustration and mirrored ornament create a dialogue between intellect and elegance, bridging historic scholarship with enduring decorative refinement.

29 ¼ x 1 ½ x 35 ¼ inches
74.6 x 3.5 x 89.4 cm

Artwork

Contemporary Printmaking