NATURE DESCRIBED: FABIO COLONNA

AND NATURAL HISTORY ILLUSTRATION

FEDERICO TOGNONI

ABSTRACT

The article analyses Fabio Colonna's interest in natural history illustra- tion. The re-examination of several pieces of unjustly neglected documen- tary evidence has allowed us to focus on the essential role of naturalistic il- lustration in the work of this Neapolitan naturalist. Of great importance was the opportunity to study a herbal that was recently discovered at Blickling Hall, near Norwich in England. This herbal was created using the technique of nature-printing, and reflects Colonna's interest in naturalistic illustration as an essential means of presenting natural data.

Keywords: Fabio Colonna, Botanical Illustration, Nature-Printing.