Fly agaric (Amanita muscaria), Anselmus Boëtius de Boodt, 1596 - 1610
brush, h 190mm × w 162mm More details
This drawing of the Fly agaric is one of ten sheets in the album depicting varieties of mushrooms. Instantly recognizable, these white-spotted red mushrooms were known to be poisonous and have hallucinogenic properties, although there are no inscriptions warning us of these effects. The name of the mushroom is thought to be derived from its traditional use for catching flies when sprinkled in milk.
