Australian Acacia Longifolia. Long-leaved Acacia. Wattle Maund botanical plate  E-mail this product to a friend

Delightful engraved illustration of this very pretty wattle. The finely engraved uncoloured sections of flower and foliage add an exquisite dimension to this work. As with many of Maund's illustrations, the paper is so fine it has taken up the ink from printing on the opposite page. It has also a little soiling to the left of the page, as shown in the scanned image. It is still a very beautiful work.

Original hand-coloured steel engraving by Mr. S. Nevitt after a drawing by Maund's daughter for “The Botanist” published in London circa 1837 by pharmacist, botanist, printer, bookseller and fellow of the Linnean Society (1827), Benjamin Maund (1790-1863), assisted by Reverend Henslow, Dean of Botany at Cambridge. Maund's noteworthy publications were the "Botanic Garden" and "The Botanist".

Both of Maund's daughters were botanical artists. With the intention of pursuing his study of analytical chemistry Benjamin's son, Dr. John Maund, and one of his two daughters, migrated to Australia in 1853 to benefit from a healthier climate. (John Maund set up a medical practice in Melbourne after witnessing passengers' illnesses on the journey to Australia. He was known for his kindness and gentle manner.)

As with many of Maund's illustrations, the paper is so fine it has taken up the ink from printing on the opposite page. It is still a very beautiful work.

Plate size 195mm x 145mm (7.1/2" x 5.3/4")