Notes on early botanical publication of australian species, including sources, illustrations and our cast of players. Reference will be made to the first publications and any inconsistencies arising. The task of including the fashion for antipodean botany, particuarly relating to viability in english gardening, and the introduction of books on Natural History for a general readership.
The following notes use the text, A Specimen of the Botany of New Holland, as a starting point for research into this topic. This was produced in four parts, between 1793 and 1795 [1], by botanist, James E. Smith and the natural scientist and illustrator, James Sowebry.
Smith and Sowebry were to author the project, but as with all such ventures, other figures played parts in bringing the material. The authors were to go on to produce the mammoth tome, English Botany, in 1790. [1] Other names linked by autors to this project are:
I've had a glance at the Sowerby Family page; seems to concentrate a bit too much on conchology; James certainly did all kinds of biological illustration. I believe the family did a good deal of one-off illustrations to keep the cash coming in; but the absence of a good published history does make it difficult to check. I wonder if anyone has done a dissertation on James and/or the faimily. I assume the technology was copper plate engravings coloured by hand. Be interesting to know whether he cut the engraving himself; usually these guys did a watercolour and the rest was done by a London firm specialising in plates (remember Darwin and the Zoology of the Beagle? He hired the artist and the publisher arranged the rest). Sounds from what you say that S. organised all the work on plates. [more from helpful user]
Notes on early botanical publication of australian species, including sources, illustrations and our cast of players. Reference will be made to the first publications and any inconsistencies arising. The task of including the fashion for antipodean botany, particuarly relating to viability in english gardening, and the introduction of books on Natural History for a general readership.
The following notes use the text, A Specimen of the Botany of New Holland, as a starting point for research into this topic. This was produced in four parts, between 1793 and 1795 [1], by botanist, James E. Smith and the natural scientist and illustrator, James Sowebry.
Smith and Sowebry were to author the project, but as with all such ventures, other figures played parts in bringing the material. The authors were to go on to produce the mammoth tome, English Botany, in 1790. [1] Other names linked by autors to this project are:
I've had a glance at the Sowerby Family page; seems to concentrate a bit too much on conchology; James certainly did all kinds of biological illustration. I believe the family did a good deal of one-off illustrations to keep the cash coming in; but the absence of a good published history does make it difficult to check. I wonder if anyone has done a dissertation on James and/or the faimily. I assume the technology was copper plate engravings coloured by hand. Be interesting to know whether he cut the engraving himself; usually these guys did a watercolour and the rest was done by a London firm specialising in plates (remember Darwin and the Zoology of the Beagle? He hired the artist and the publisher arranged the rest). Sounds from what you say that S. organised all the work on plates. [more from helpful user]