Popularising and Personalising an Illustrated Herbal in Dutch

Abstract Who were illustrated herbals intended for, who the actual readers and how did they use these books? The case of Dutch herbal Den groten herbarius met al sijn figueren (“The great with all its figures”) sheds light on book producers’ strategies popularisation readers’ personalisation. Between 1514 1547, at least six folio editions appeared, connections to German English traditions. work’s paratexts point a wide audience key role for illustrations in strategies. Early modern users’ traces corpus 27 individual copies reveal owners from variety backgrounds seem share predominantly practical interest remedies. article focuses three pervasive practices personalisation that offer new perspectives engagement materia medica : tagging recipes plant names, attaching pins pages, colouring woodcuts.