{"product_id":"botanical-melon-journal","title":"Elizabeth Blackwell Melon Journal — 1739 Curious Herbal Notebook","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eIn the 1730s, when botanical illustration was dominated by men and a Scottish woman named Elizabeth Blackwell found herself in desperate circumstances, she did something remarkable: she taught herself to draw, engrave, and hand-color botanical plates with scientific precision. The result was \u003cstrong\u003eA Curious Herbal\u003c\/strong\u003e (1737–1739) — 500 illustrations of medicinal plants, every one drawn, engraved, and colored by her alone, created to pay her husband’s debts and secure his release from prison. It became one of the most important botanical works of the eighteenth century.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThis journal carries two plates from that extraordinary project. The front cover features Blackwell’s 1739 illustration \u003cstrong\u003eThe citrul or water-melon\u003c\/strong\u003e — the fruit, leaves, flowers, and vine rendered with the scientific accuracy and artistic grace that defined her work. The back cover presents her 1739 plate \u003cstrong\u003eMelon\u003c\/strong\u003e, depicted with the same meticulous attention to botanical detail. Both illustrations were drawn from life, engraved on copper, and hand-colored by Blackwell herself — a woman who mastered three distinct crafts in the service of a single, urgent purpose.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eProduct Details\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFormat: Hardcover journal\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePages: 150 lined pages (75 sheets) with perforations for easy removal\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBinding: Casewrap sewn binding — flexible and lay-flat\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDimensions: 5.75 × 8 inches\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWeight: 100 g\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCover: Matte laminated full-wrap print\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFront cover: Elizabeth Blackwell, \u003cem\u003eThe citrul or water-melon\u003c\/em\u003e (1739)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBack cover: Elizabeth Blackwell, \u003cem\u003eMelon\u003c\/em\u003e (1739)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSource: \u003cem\u003eA Curious Herbal\u003c\/em\u003e (1737–1739)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003ePerfect For\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGardeners and fruit enthusiasts\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBotanical art lovers and herbal medicine practitioners\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWomen’s history collectors and feminist art enthusiasts\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e18th-century illustration fans and medical history collectors\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAnyone who appreciates Elizabeth Blackwell’s pioneering work\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA beautiful gift for those who love botanical herbals and women in science\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eThe Story Behind the Illustrations\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe woman who drew, engraved, and colored these plates by herself — and why her herbal became one of the most important botanical works of the 18th century — \u003ca href=\"\/blogs\/new-old-time\/elizabeth-blackwell-and-the-making-of-a-curious-herbal-1739\"\u003eread the full story on our blog →\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"LeBonJournal","offers":[{"title":"Journal","offer_id":62825784672625,"sku":"11251736062889496154","price":18.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0974\/5367\/0769\/files\/Elizabeth_Blackwell_1739_Curious_Herbal_melon_journal.png?v=1776176051","url":"https:\/\/lebonjournal.com\/products\/botanical-melon-journal","provider":"LeBonJournal","version":"1.0","type":"link"}