Flora Londinensis, Geranium robertianum. Pasque Flower botanical engraving c1820

by Flora Londinensis

Pasque Flower, Geranium robertianum. Flora Londinensis antique print.

In 1775 William Curtis (1746-1799 was Praefectus Hortis of Chelsea Physic Garden in London when he began publication of Flora Londinensis - intending to publish life-size hand-coloured copperplate engravings of all plants growing wild within a ten-mile radius of London. Despite financial assistance from Lord Bute, William Curtis was almost ruined financially by this very ambitious project. His first plates were published in 1777, the same year that he resigned from his work at Chelsea Gardens. He also established his own botanic garden, and within a year had acquired 6,000 different species Despite praise for his work, ten years later by the time he published his second volume, he was almost bankrupt.

This is a delicate hand-coloured illustration from Flora Londinensis.. plants indigenous to Great Britain, illustrated by figures of the natural size, by the late William Curtis. A New edition Edited by George Graves and William Jackson Hooker, was published between 1817 and 1828 by editor and botanical artist, George Graves F.L.S. (1784-1839), and eminent Scottish botanist William Jackson Hooker (1785-1865) who had been appointed horticultural director at Kew after Curtis resigned.

Price reduced as there are tiny blemishes, no accompanying text, and remnants of conservation framing tape at top extremity (which will not show or detract). Page size, 48m x 29cm (18 7/8 x 11 3/8 inches).