Mandrake Vintage Botanical Illustration

A "male" mandrake (Mandragora mas) engraved in late 17th-century Paris for Estampes pour servir à l'histoire des plantes — a folio series of botanical plates produced under Louis XIV for the royal collection at the Jardin du Roi. The plates were drawn by Nicolas Robert (1614–1685), the leading French botanical illustrator of his generation, and engraved with Abraham Bosse and Louis de Chastillon. Despite the commission's scientific framing, the mandrake root is still rendered as a small humanoid figure — a faithful echo of the Dioscoridean "male and female" tradition that classified the plant in anthropomorphic pairs well into the 18th century—a botanical print at the threshold of folklore and Enlightenment science.

Unframed Print:

• Size: 20x30 cm (8x12 inch) | 30x40 cm (12x16 inch) | 50x70 cm (20x28 inch)
• Print Details: 100% cotton, 308gsm fine art paper with archival, acid-free, premium coating that lasts generations. Vivid color saturation, rich black tones, and striking contrast that bring every detail to life. High-resolution giclée printing ensures exceptional detail, smooth gradients, and true-to-life colors.


Framed Print:

• Size: 21x30 cm (8.5x12 inch) | 30x40 cm (12x16 inch) | 50x70 cm (20x28 inch)
• Print Details: 100% cotton, 200gsm fine art paper with a velvety matte finish that eliminates reflections and adds a sophisticated, museum-style character to every print. Vivid tones and crisp definition. High-resolution giclée printing ensures exceptional detail, smooth gradients, and true-to-life colors.
• Frame Details: Crafted from durable wood for a sturdy yet lightweight frame that’s easy to mount and built to last. Crystal-clear plexiglass protects your artwork while offering safer, break-resistant durability compared to glass.
• Ready-to-Hang: Built-in brackets allow for quick, effortless wall mounting straight out of the box. 


About the Illustrator: Nicolas Robert (1614–1685) was a French botanical painter and peintre ordinaire du Roi under Louis XIV. He produced the foundational plates of the Vélins du Roi — the royal collection of botanical paintings on vellum at the Jardin du Roi in Paris — and his work for Estampes pour servir à l'histoire des plantes set the standard for French botanical illustration for the next century.