A deluxe leather-bound, slipcased edition of Singer's magnificent Botanica Magnifica Botanica Magnifica features two hundred and fifty stunning photographs by Hasselblad Laureate Award winner Jonathan M. Singer, representing--in the words of an ARTnews critic--rare or exotic plants and flowers "in large scale and exquisite detail, emerging from the shadows in a manner evocative of Old Master paintings." The original edition of Botanica Magnifica , consisting of five lavishly hand-bound volumes, was limited to just ten copies, the first of which was recently donated to the Smithsonian Institution. The extra-large "double-elephant" format of that edition was chosen in homage to the famous double-elephant folio of The Birds of America , and indeed, Botanica Magnifica is one of the few works of natural history ever to rival Audubon's magnum opus in its scope and artistry. In praise of the double-elephant folio of Botanica Magnifica , the Smithsonian's Chairman of Botany attested, "Everyone who has seen the photographs . has been tremendously impressed with the power, scale, and depth of the work." Now Singer's remarkable images are available to the public for the first time in this baby-elephant folio of Botanica Magnifica . Like the larger edition, this volume is organized into five alphabetically arranged sections, each introduced by a gatefold page thatdisplays one extraordinary plant at a luxurious size.
Each pictured plant is accompanied by a clear and accessible description of its botany, geography, folklore, history, and conservation. This volume is also available in a clothbound, slipcased edition. With its marvelous reproductions and fascinating text, the baby-elephant folio of Botanica Magnifica is one of the most impressive volumes of natural history ever published.