Citrus Fruit

Taken from the 'Paper Museum', a collection of over 7000 drawings assembled by the 17th-century antiquary and natural scientist Cassiano dal Pozzo, this volume catalogues a series of life-like drawings of citrus fruit in watercolour and gouache. Most of these drawings were commissioned to illustrate Giovanni Battista Ferrari's 'Hesperides', an attempt at a complete taxonomy and classification of the entire citrological world published in Rome in 1646. The images are grouped in seven categories: citrons, lemons, oranges, pummelos, hybrids, monstrosities and unidentified citrus fruit. They are accompanied by comparative material which includes the 'Hesperides' engravings, additional drawings and photographs of actual citrus fruit.