Elizabeth Blackwell's A Curious Herbal (1737–1739) is one of the outstanding achievements of eighteenth-century botanical illustration. Created by the Scottish artist and engraver, this remarkable work contains 500 beautifully detailed botanical plates depicting medicinal plants, flowers, fruits, herbs and trees.
Working from living specimens, many from London's Chelsea Physic Garden, Blackwell drew, engraved and hand-coloured the illustrations herself. Her extraordinary undertaking was partly motivated by the need to raise money to secure her husband's release from debtors' prison. The resulting work became an important contribution to botanical art and the study of medicinal plants.
Explore our complete collection of 500 Elizabeth Blackwell botanical prints, carefully prepared as high-resolution digital downloads. With their delicate engraved details, beautifully preserved colours and charming antique character, these historic illustrations make timeless botanical wall art for traditional and contemporary interiors.