Johann Wilhelm Weinmann’s Phytanthoza is the first botanical book to utilize successfully color printed mezzotints for its illustrations of plants, fruits, flowers, trees and shrubs. This technology allowed the indication of shades and tones as well as lines of drawings. The 1250 exquisite plates were drawn by George Ehret (1708-1770), and then engraved and partially hand-colored by several artists. It took eight years to complete the grandiose project.

WEINMANN, JOHANN WILHELM (1683-1741). PHYTANTHOZA ICONOGRAPHIA.
Regensburg: Hieronymus Lenz, 1737-45.
(Washington University, Becker Library)