Common Milkwort / Polygala vulgaris woodcut from Gerarde's Herball, History of Plants. He calls it White Milkwort / Polygala albis floribus. P4
Source John Gerarde's 'Herball, or Historie of Plants', published in London 1597. 'P' number represents the page number where plant image is located. - This is a MONOCHROME image, NOT yet converted to B&W - since I understand Mono can be better for some applications, and presenting it in B&W form might tie your hands, and it's easy to convert in PS. - Original pages were foxed (yellowed) so background colour and all colour channels are desaturated, and then levels pushed towards a more contrasty B&W level allowing for most of the worst inkspots and stains on the paper to be spotted out. - Since the woodcuts have a historic place in Herbal Medicine some ink blemishes have been left visible rather than removed, particularly at the edge of the printing block. That would sharpen up the data, while the fuzzyness of the ink woodcut impression is one of the things which give them their charm. The paper surrounding the woodcut has been digitally cleaned up and some of the paper patina / texture is visible since it might be useful to give 'substance' to the black figure. If paper pulp grains aren't required then these areas could be flooded with white in PS as required.
Size: 5405px × 7586px
Location: ukj
Photo credit: © Marcus Harrison - botanicals / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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