Pistia Stratiotes — Nikolaus Joseph von Jacquin
This eighteenth-century botanical plate depicts Pistia stratiotes, commonly known as water lettuce, as a richly detailed floating rosette. Broad overlapping leaves fill the upper composition, combining pale yellow-green surfaces with deep green parallel markings. Below, an elaborate network of fine brown roots hangs freely against the warm cream ground.
A smaller offset plant extends to the right on a slender runner, while isolated reproductive details appear at lower left. These carefully separated elements reveal the structure and growth of the aquatic plant while creating an unusually graphic composition. The illustration belongs to Nikolaus Joseph von Jacquin's Selectarum Stirpium Americanarum Historia and appears as plate 225 in the 1780–1781 edition. Its combination of precise botanical observation, patterned foliage, delicate roots, and generous negative space gives the plate a striking visual presence.
Artwork Details
- Artist/Creator: Nikolaus Joseph von Jacquin
- Title: Pistia Stratiotes
- Original title: Pistia stratiotes
- Series: Selectarum Stirpium Americanarum Historia
- Date: 1780–1781
- Period: 18th century
- Place of Origin: Vienna, Austria
- Medium: Hand-colored botanical plate
Framed Print Details
- Fine art printing: Professional 12-color fine art printing technology produces vivid, accurate colors with strong tonal depth and significantly greater nuance than standard 4-color inkjet printing.
- Paper: Smooth premium matte paper with a clean, glare-free finish.
- Paper weight: 200 gsm (80 lb).
- Paper thickness: 0.26 mm (10.3 mils).
- Frame material: Durable pine wood.
- Frame dimensions: Approximately 20 mm (0.79 in) deep and 10–14 mm (0.4–0.6 in) wide.
- Protection: Shatterproof plexiglass protects the print while keeping the framed artwork lightweight.
- Ready to hang: A hanging kit is included, allowing the framed print to be mounted directly on the wall.
- Available sizes: Offered in a range of sizes to suit different spaces.
- Materials: Printed using FSC-certified paper and wood where available.
- Production: Each framed print is produced to order through a trusted international network of professional print studios.
- Shipping: Worldwide shipping is available.
- Made to order: There is no minimum order quantity. Each piece is printed and assembled on demand, reducing unnecessary stock and waste.
Exact frame dimensions, component availability, and production specifications may vary slightly depending on the selected size and destination.