Text-fig. 42. “Avena” = Oats [Mattioli, Commentarii, 1560].
Mattioli’s ‘Commentarii in sex libros Pedacii Dioscoridis,’ his chef-d’œuvre, the gradual production and improvement of which occupied his leisure hours throughout his life, was first published in 1544. It was translated into many languages and appeared in countless editions. The success of the work was phenomenal, and it is said that 32,000 copies of the earlier editions were sold. The title does not do the book justice, for it contains, besides an exposition of Dioscorides, a Natural History dealing with all the plants known to Mattioli. The early editions had small illustrations only (Text-figs. [41], [42], [93] and [94]), but, later on, editions with large and very beautiful figures were published, such as that which appeared at Venice in 1565 (Text-figs. [43], [44], [95]).
Text-fig. 43. “Trifolium acetosum” = Oxalis [Mattioli, Commentarii, 1565]. Reduced.
Mattioli’s descriptions of the plants with which he deals are not so good as those of some of his contemporaries. He found and recorded a certain number of new plants, especially from the Tyrol, but most of the species, which he described for the first time, were not his own discoveries, but were communicated to him by others. Luca Ghini, for instance, had projected a similar work, but handed over all his material to Mattioli, who also placed on record the discoveries made by the physician, Wilhelm Quakelbeen, who had accompanied the celebrated diplomatist, Auger-Gislain Busbecq, on a mission to Turkey.
Text-fig. 44. “Malus” = Pyrus malus L., Apple [Mattioli, Commentarii, 1565]. Reduced.