Hand-Aged Besler Leucoium Print in Fully Wrapped William Morris Frame

A spectacular study in color harmonies and early modern botany, this curated statement piece celebrates the dense, sculptural beauty of historical flora, beautifully enveloped by 19th-century English design heritage.

The piece features a masterfully hand-aged reproduction from Basilius Besler’s monumental Hortus Eystettensis (1613), the legendary florilegium documenting the rare botanical wonders of the Prince-Bishop’s gardens in Eichstätt. The rich composition centers on the magnificent, dense blooms of the Leucoium flore rubro pleno (known today as the double-flowered Stock or Matthiola incana), flanked by two delicate variegated varieties: Leucoium variegatum album rubris maculis on the left and Leucoium variegatum purpureis maculis on the right. Through a meticulous hand-patinating process, the paper surface takes on a warm, amber-toned depth that mirrors centuries of archival display. What makes this piece an extraordinary decorative asset is its total textile wrapping: both the custom internal passepartout and the entire outer frame have been fully covered by hand in William Morris’s iconic foliage pattern. This seamless immersion of pattern delivers a captivating tridimensional depth—a beautiful piece of “Everyday Poetry” perfect for bringing warmth and narrative complexity to a curated interior.

Technical Details & Condition:

• Estimated Period: Modern reproduction expertly hand-aged, fully wrapped, and assembled by Atelier Bellinzona (2026). Original plate by Basilius Besler (c. 1613).

• Origin: Italy (Artisanal framing and textile processing).

• Material: Aged paper print, original William Morris archival paper for the fully wrapped frame and mount, protective glass.

• Dimensions: 32.5 x 42.5 cm.

• Condition: Excellent contemporary condition. The print is artistically patinated and distressed by hand to emulate the fine character and oxidation of an original 17th-century engraving. As an entirely handmade creation featuring an intricate paper-wrapping process on both frame and mount, minor asymmetries or textile alignment variations are considered signature hallmarks of its unique, non-industrial luxury prestige.