Le Tabac, ou Nicotiane - Regnault 1774-80

📜 Description
Original botanical engraving titled “Le Tabac, ou Nicotiane - Nicotiana”, created by Nicolas François Regnault and published in Paris between 1774 and 1780 within the work “La Botanique(...)” issued by Didot le Jeune. The plate illustrates the tobacco plant through a scientific composition arranged on a neutral background, depicting the complete stem structure, root system, elongated leaves, and tubular blossoms, accompanied by analytical details dedicated to the flower, seed capsule, and reproductive elements of the species. The classificatory structure of the image reflects the didactic and naturalistic purpose of eighteenth-century botanical illustration, intended to document with precision the morphology of the Nicotiana genus. The engraved inscriptions beneath the composition include the French title “Le Tabac, ou Nicotiane” together with multilingual botanical references such as “Snuff”, “Tabake”, and “Tabaco”, emphasizing the encyclopedic character of the publication and the international circulation of botanical knowledge during the Enlightenment period. This antique print combines scientific function with decorative balance, consistent with the editorial language of major French natural history publications of the late eighteenth century.

📚 Historical-Artistic Note
Nicolas François Regnault produced numerous botanical plates dedicated to the dissemination of scientific and natural history knowledge in eighteenth-century France. These engravings were published by the Parisian editor Didot le Jeune, one of the leading figures in Enlightenment scientific and illustrated publishing. Geneviève De Nangis-Regnault collaborated in the engraved execution of the plates, translating botanical observation into images intended both for scientific study and the collecting of antique prints. “La Botanique(...)” belongs to the broader European tradition of illustrated natural history works devoted to the classification and documentation of plant species through scientific engraving.

🧾 Technical Sheet
Type: scientific botanical plate
Author / Manufacture: Nicolas François Regnault
Designer / Engraver: Geneviève De Nangis-Regnault
Publisher / Printer: Didot le Jeune, Paris
Place: Paris
Period: 1774-1780
Technique: etching
Subject / Title: “Le Tabac, ou Nicotiane - Nicotiana - Snuff - Tabake - Tabaco”
Dimensions: sheet 35.5 x 49.5 cm; engraving 26 x 38.5 cm
Marks / Signatures / Inscriptions: engraved French title; multilingual botanical and lexical nomenclature below the image

🔍 Condition Report
Overall in excellent condition. Blank verso.