Leonhard Fuchs was took some thirty years to write the Historia Stirpium, and clearly it was an effort he greatly enjoyed. His aim was to provide information about the medical properties of plants, to assist his fellow physicians. As well as purely medicinal plants (such as the Night shade shown here) he included the new and exotic, such as chilli peppers. The illustrations show the plants with remarkable accuracy, considering that they were carved on woodblocks. A team of three artists was involved: Albrecht Meyer drew them, Heinrich Füllmaurer drew these onto the wooden blocks, and Veit Rudolf Speckle carved them ready for printing. Their role in the project was considered so important that their portraits were also included in the book.