16-08-2016, 03:12 AM
If I were to rate the accuracy of the VMS drawings (the ones that are more recognizable) on a scale of 1 to 10, I'd give them about a 6.5 or 7 (depending on the drawing). They're not bad for their time and some details are drawn better than their predecessors.
If I were to rate the Al-Qazwini plants on the same scale, most of them wouldn't do much better than a three. Which makes me suspect that any resemblance between the VMS plant and the Al-Qazwini clove plant is probably coincidental.
I'm not ruling out that the VMS illustrator had access to other sources, but my overall feeling is that they were used more as references than as sources from which to slavishly copy. It's one of the reasons the VMS holds my attention. If it were a mere copy, it would be uninteresting.
If I were to rate the Al-Qazwini plants on the same scale, most of them wouldn't do much better than a three. Which makes me suspect that any resemblance between the VMS plant and the Al-Qazwini clove plant is probably coincidental.
I'm not ruling out that the VMS illustrator had access to other sources, but my overall feeling is that they were used more as references than as sources from which to slavishly copy. It's one of the reasons the VMS holds my attention. If it were a mere copy, it would be uninteresting.
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