Indigofera, Pl. 626 — Encyclopédie Méthodique

An exquisite hand-coloured engraving of Indigofera, the genus that gave the world one of its most prized natural dyes, rendered with scientific elegance.

After J. E. de Sève; engraved by Robert Bénard. Encyclopédie Méthodique, Botanique, Plate 626. Published in Paris, 1793.

The Encyclopédie Méthodique expanded upon Diderot and d'Alembert's original Encyclopédie, commissioning fresh illustrations from leading natural history draughtsmen. Indigofera was a genus of considerable economic importance in the eighteenth century, its species cultivated across tropical regions for the production of indigo dye, making this plate of both scientific and commercial interest.

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