The first record of botanical printing can be found in a manual authored by Discorides–a pharmacologist from Ancient Greece. This manual was very popular during the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. In medieval versions, the technique was used to illustrate plants.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Later, other people who needed to identify plants started to develop their own manuals, such as perfumers. This 16th-century example is by Zenobio Pacino from Florence.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Over time, improvements were made to the technique, and colour started to be introduced. In the 19th century, naturalistic printing emerged, using steel and lead, thanks to an invention by Alois Auer.

The arrival of techniques used by engraver and photographer Richard Cockle Lucas gave prints a more artistic look, which focused on color.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Around 25 years ago, India Flint developed the eco print process. This technique allows the transferral of leaves from different plants to a variety of materials, such as paper, fabric, clay, and stone. This technique became popular among a diverse mix of craftspeople, who began to experiment with different materials and processes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sources:

• https://www.domestika.org/en/blog/5013-a-brief-history-of-botanical-printing