To paraphrase Georges Perec (who knew a thing or two about classifications), we could say that every herbarium responds to a dual need, which is often also a dual obsession: the need to preserve plants and the need to arrange them in a particular way. But what makes the collections gathered and annotated in this book so complex and incredibly fascinating is the fact that two more needs are added: the need to invent nonexistent plants and the need to catalog them using the most diverse means and techniques. Herbaria are not only instruments of representation and transmission for the scientific community, but they have also been dedicated to narrating the relationship between humans and nature throughout the ages.

Herbal This is a beautifully illustrated volume, in a style that straddles the line between scientific work and work of art. A large-format book, it highlights how collections of herbs and the transmission of their purported powers have provided fertile ground for graphic, artistic, and literary inventions throughout history. The herbals and anthologies compiled and described in this unique edition are the product of the vision of artists, scientists, architects, writers, graphic designers, and illustrators from the Middle Ages to the present day.

24 x 33 cm.

280 pages.