Phyllanthus, Pl. 756 — Encyclopédie Méthodique

A detailed hand-coloured engraving of Phyllanthus, capturing the genus's characteristic leaf-borne flowers, from a cornerstone of Enlightenment scientific publishing.

After J. E. de Sève; engraved by Robert Bénard. Encyclopédie Méthodique, Botanique, Plate 756. Published in Paris, 1793.

The Encyclopédie Méthodique expanded upon Diderot and d'Alembert's original Encyclopédie, ultimately becoming the largest publishing enterprise of the eighteenth century. Its botanical plates, drawn by de Sève and engraved by Bénard, remain prized for their clarity and scientific accuracy, documenting the natural world with Enlightenment rigour.

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