The Oblique-leaved Begonia

Robert John thoprnton's Temple of Flora is one of the most famous botanical books ever produced.  Although he was trained as a physician, Thornton decided to create an ambitious series of botanical publications dedicated to the work of the Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus.  Linnaeus had revolutionized the world of science in 1735 by developing an entirely new classification system for plants and animals.  The golden age of plant illustration followed his discoveries.  Thornton's botanical work was to be a "pictorial celebration" in poetry and verse of the botanical system created by Lineaus.

Thornton chose botanical specimens and placed each in an unnaturally exotic and romantic setting, caring much more about the aesthetic and symbolic impact of his work than he did of botanical accuracy.  He hired the finest aquatint artists, engravers and colorists to produce a series of twenty-eight folio sized plates.  These were the illustrations for his Temple of Flora, which he lavished time and money on, ultimately exhausting his fortune on the books' publication.

This engraving is from a smaller second edition Thornton produced in 1812.  As his large first edition failed to make a profit, not impress the scientific community, his hope was to recoup soemthing with a re-engraved, more affordable edition.  Sadly the critics were just as unimpressed with this effort.

15 x 11 3/4 inches sheet.  Aquatint engraving with full original color.  Slight mat stain outside image, full untrimmed margins.  Very good condition.