Pfaffenrorle 1544 - 1585

"Pfaffenrorle" (1544 - 1585), an intricate woodcut by Italian physician and botanist Pierandrea Mattioli (1500 - 1577), depicts a dandelion, a common plant with medicinal properties. This detailed botanical illustration, housed in the Minneapolis Institute of Art, is part of a larger work that showcases the diverse plant life of the era, offering insights into the history of herbal medicine. The meticulous rendering captures the plant's morphology, highlighting its unique features with a level of precision that was typical of scientific illustration during the Renaissance. The accompanying text, in German, details the plant's various names, its uses, and its impact on the human body, reflecting the growing interest in the relationship between nature and medicine.