Herbal Apothecary Shop

Bundles of sage, lavender, foxglove and yellow blossom hang from the beams of a herbalist's shop, drying above every shelf. Amber, cobalt and clear bottles fill the racks in long labelled rows, and beneath them a tall orange chest of small drawers is marked for senna, arnica, cloves and thyme. The left wall carries stacks of herbal recipe books and botanica volumes in red, pink and green cloth, handwritten cards tucked between them. On the plank counter sit brass balance scales, a white mortar and pestle, yellow bowls of ground herb, wooden spoons and a wire sieve. Wicker baskets of pink and yellow flowers and blue sprigs stand on the flagstones. At the right a young woman with a braid, in a brown dress and green apron, weighs blossoms on a hanging balance beneath framed botanical prints on the stone wall. The drawer grid gives the whole wall a ready-made lattice.