Botanical Literature
The University Library of Erlangen-Nürnberg houses a very interesting collection of botanical literature dating from the Late Middle Ages and the Early Modern Period. These books originate from various libraries, Court Library Ansbach, University Library Altdorf and private academic libraries, mainly the Trew Library (1695-1769).
Especially significant are the two volumes with watercolours of plants (H62/MS 2386[1, H62/MS 2386[2), mainly painted by the famous scholar Conrad Gesner (1516-1565) and 13 volumes containing botanical drawings (H62/MS 2380), which were nearly all commissioned by Christoph Jakob Trew. The five different editions of the wonderful “Hortus Eystettensis” are outstanding specimens, as well as the corresponding preparatory drawings for the copper plates and the drawings for a supplement that, however, never has been published. Also significant are the volumes of Plantae selectae.
The collection contains works of all important botanists: Johannes Wonnecke, Leonhart Fuchs, Otto Brunfels, Hieronymus Bock, Pietro Andrea Mattiolus, Adam Lonitzer, Carolus Clusius, Tabernaemontanus, Elizabeth Blackwell and Pierre Joseph Redouté.