While our images are electronically watermarked, the antique prints themselves are not.

Genera of Plants 4 LND251 $55
Each double print measures approximately 8 inches by 10 1/2 inches.

Celebrated in his own lifetimes as well as the present day, Carl Linnaeus, 1707-1778, was an inspirational figure. Originator of binominal nomenclature, the formal system of naming species, he also developed the system of scientific classification, or Linnaean taxonomy, used in the biological sciences to this very day.

 Born in Sweden in 1707, Linnaeus early on rejected the ministry for a career in botany and medicine.  While teaching at Uppsala University he published The Florula Lapponica, followed by The Flora Lapponica, both a result of his expedition to Lapland.  It was in a sojourn in the Netherlands that he obtained his medical degree in 6 days, and published the first edition of his work on taxonomy, the Systema Naturae.  During this time, he met many prominent scientists, including Albert Seba and Jan Frederik Gronovius in the Netherlands and Hans Sloane, the physicist and botanists Philip Miller and J. J. Dillenius in England.  All of these men went on to produce magnificent natural history works.

Upon his return to Sweden, he began his medical career as a specialist in the treatment of syphilis.  Appointed a professor at Upsalla, he commenced with great enthusiasm to renovate their botanical garden, planting according to his system of classification.  This Linnaean garden has been maintained and can still be visited today.  Beloved of his students and inspiring many he met, seeds and plants and specimens were sent to him from all over the world, including by Catherine the Great, with whom he corresponded.

Linnaeus married Sara Elisabeth Morea in 1739, and they went on to have seven children.  Eventually, he exchanged his chair of medicine for botany, and was known to claim "God created, Linnaeus organized".

Apart from his prolific writings, travels and constant revisions of the Systema Naturae, he designed today's thermometer scale, originally invented by Anders Celsius, whose uncle had been his patron. Linnaeus reversed the order invented by Celsius, where 100 was the melting point of ice and 0 the boiling point of water.

After a successful and enormously productive life and a knighthood from the King of Sweden, he died in 1778 and was buried in Upsalla Cathedral.  Many organizations exist around the world to celebrate and further his great contribution to science, and were used by Panteek as references including:
The Linnean Society of London
The Linnaeus Arboretum, Gustavus Adolphus College, Minnesota
UPPSALA UNIVERSITET
Linnaeus' flower clock

His motto, seen on the Swedish Kroner 100 kroner note in his honor, would serve us all well:
Find wonder in all things, even the most common place.

After his death, the work of revising the Systema Naturae passed to Johann Friedrich Gmelin a physician and professor who produced this 13th edition from which we present prints today.

Issued from 1794-1810 and edited in London by the Encyclopedia Londinensis it uses illustrations  of the best artists of the time including Bloch, Vaillants, Seba, Maria Merian, Knorr Buffon and so on.  It is a truly amazing and beautifully illustrated work.  The size is small at approximately 5 by 8 1/4 inches on chain lined paper.  We have accepted a greater degree of flaws than customary as this work has not come up at auction for many years.  Some of the prints are toned and all have very narrow margins, with light foxing on a few.

There is descriptive text for some of the prints, and a copy of the undated title will be included.

It is the superb original hand coloring and the opportunity to acquire prints from the great artists of the Age of Discovery at a fraction of the usual cost that makes this work so very appealing, coupled with the historical and seminal nature of the Linnean Classification System.   

We accept credit cards & PayPal. Washington state residents pay Washington state sales tax. Shipping for this item is $8.95. Items can be combined to save on postage. Our environment is smoke free. We pack professionally using only new materials. All items are beautifully wrapped and suitable for sending directly as gifts. You may return any item within 7 days if not satisfied. To order, you may call us at 1-888-PANTEEK, fax or email.