Quince — Antique Botanical Print

The Story in the Margin

Quince (Cydonia oblonga) has been cultivated for more than 4,000 years across its native range in the Caucasus and Iran, and the ancient Greeks and Romans prized it as a symbol of love and fertility, traditionally offering the fruit to brides at weddings. Too hard, sour, and astringent to eat raw, quince transforms when cooked, turning a deep rose color and releasing the natural pectin that made it the base of the original Portuguese quince paste, marmelada, from which English gets the word marmalade. Its fragrant golden fruit made it a natural subject for the pomological illustrators who documented Europe's orchard crops for growers and collectors alike.

Materials & origin

• Material: 200 gsm gallery-grade, acid-free fine-art paper (FSC-certified).
• Print: Archival giclée, 12-colour printing, smooth matte finish for glare-free display.
• Artwork: Restored from a public-domain original; colour and detail digitally cleaned for large-format print.
• Origin: Made on demand and shipped from the print hub nearest you, cutting transit and waste.
• Framing: Sold unframed; ships rolled in a protective tube.