- Title: Atropa Mandragora
- Author: Pierre Joseph Buchoz
- Date: c. 1776
- Medium: Hand-colored copperplate engraving
- Condition: Excellent - minor scuffing
- Inches: 8 1/4 x 12 3/4 [Platemark]
- Centimeters: 20.96 x 32.39 [Platemark]
- Product ID: 3209
Atropa Mandragora
Mandragore femelle
Image of a mandrake by French physician, naturalist, and lawyer Pierre Joseph Buchoz (1731-1807).
Pierre-Joseph Buchoz (1731-1807), born in Metz, France, initially pursued a career in law but soon shifted his focus to medicine. He earned his medical degree in Nancy in 1763 and even served as the physician to King Stanislaus of Poland for a brief period. However, Buchoz's primary interest was the natural world, and particularly the study of plants.
He embarked on extensive travels throughout his native Lorraine, meticulously documenting the region's flora and fauna. His observations culminated in a 13-volume magnum opus titled Histoire naturelle de la Lorraine et du Barrois (Natural History of Lorraine and Barrois). This comprehensive work cemented Buchoz's reputation as a leading expert on the region's natural history.