Have you ever thought of citrus fruits as celestial bodies, angelically hanging in the sky? Perhaps not, but J. C. Volkamer (1644-1720) did—commissioning an extravagant and stunning series of large-scale engravings depicting citrons, lemons, and bitter oranges in surreal scenes of grandeur and admiration.

Volkamer, a merchant from Nuremberg, acquired plants mainly from Italy, Germany, North Africa, and even the Cape of Good Hope, and became a fan of these fruits at a time when they were still largely unknown north of the Alps. His garden included a large variety of species, and his obsession with the fruits led him to commission a group of engravers to create 256 plates of 170 citrus varieties, many depicted in actual size, published in a two-volume work. The first volume was released in 1708, with the impressively long title "The Nuremberg Hesperides, or: A Detailed Description of the Noble Fruits of Citron, Lemon, and Bitter Orange."

In the two volumes, Volkamer draws on years of practical experience to present a comprehensive reference to citrus fruits and how to care for them—from a detailed description of the construction of temporary greenhouses and glass houses for growing pineapples to comments on each fruit variety, including their dimensions, shape, color, aroma, tree or bush, leaves, and country of origin.

In each plate, Volkamer honors the lush landscapes of Northern Italy, his hometown Nuremberg, and other places that inspired him. From views of Genoa to Schoenbrunn Palace, each location is depicted with the same extraordinary detail as the fruit overshadowing it. We see branches filled with grapefruits hanging in a sunny courtyard in Bologna and admire a huge pineapple plant protruding from a South American city. The result is both a fantastic series of botanical beauty and a highly poetic tour through the lush gardens and locales where these fruits were developed. Few colored sets of Volkamer's work exist today. This edition is based on the two recently discovered handmade volumes from the municipal archives of Furth at Schloss Burgfarrnbach. The reissue also includes 56 newly discovered illustrations that Volkamer intended to present in a third volume.

Pages: 384, Year of Publication: 0117, Dimensions: 27.6x27.6cm