Adelia and Quapoya, Pl. 831 — Encyclopédie Méthodique

An exquisite hand-coloured engraving showcasing two tropical genera, Adelia and Quapoya, from the great French natural history encyclopaedia.

After J. E. de Sève; engraved by Robert Bénard. Encyclopédie Méthodique, Botanique, Plate 831. Published in Paris, 1790.

The Encyclopédie Méthodique was an ambitious expansion of Diderot and d'Alembert's original Encyclopédie. Its Botanique volumes, overseen by Jean-Baptiste Lamarck and later J. L. M. Poiret, systematically documented the plant kingdom with detailed illustrations that served both scientific and aesthetic purposes, reflecting the Enlightenment's passion for classifying the natural world.

Hand-coloured copperplate engraving. Sheet size approximately 29.7 × 21.6 cm. Excellent.