About Heinrich Wilhelm Schott and Aroideae Maximilianae (1879)
Explore our collection of 42 beautiful antique botanical illustrations
from Aroideae Maximilianae, an exceptional nineteenth-century
botanical publication issued in Vienna by C. Gerold's Sohn in 1879.
Heinrich Wilhelm Schott (1794–1865) was a distinguished
Austrian botanist and one of the foremost authorities on the
Araceae family, commonly known as aroids.
His extensive studies helped establish the scientific understanding
and classification of these remarkable tropical plants.
The work documents aroid plants associated with the Brazilian
expedition of Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian of Austria,
who travelled to Brazil in 1859–1860 and subsequently became
Emperor of Mexico. Schott studied living plants brought back
from the expedition and cultivated at the imperial gardens
of Schönbrunn in Vienna.
Published fourteen years after Schott's death, the volume was
prepared by Johann Peyritsch (1835–1889) using
Schott's manuscript notes and botanical research.
It contains 42 magnificent colour lithographic plates,
with botanical illustrations by Wenzel Liepoldt (1841–1901).
The illustrations are celebrated for their extraordinary
scientific detail and rich natural colouring. Many depict
complete plants alongside enlarged studies of flowers,
foliage, roots, seeds and reproductive structures,
combining botanical accuracy with remarkable artistic craftsmanship.
Through the sophisticated process of
chromolithography, numerous carefully
registered colours could be printed to reproduce the subtle
greens, creams, pinks and deep purples characteristic of these
tropical species.
Our collection presents all 42 plates as high-resolution
digital botanical prints, carefully prepared for printing
and framing. Each illustration is supplied in both 3:4 and
international A-series proportions, making these historical
artworks suitable for individual display or coordinated
botanical gallery walls.
Browse the collection to discover individual species,
identified by their original botanical names and plate numbers.