Synopsis
The “Icones plantarum alpinorum” reflect the botanical passion of a Habsburg archduke who systematically studied Alpine flora in the early 19th century. Watercolors by Johann Knapp and Aquatinta reproductions by Peter Beckenkamp depict alpine plants with scientific precision. Intended not as decoration but as documentation, the illustrations capture ephemeral species in meticulous detail. Though the planned folio remained incomplete, the surviving plates exemplify an early fusion of art, research, and reverence for nature.

