"Crinum Ornatum"

Priscilla Susan Bury was born into a wealthy family whose large estate had a number of greenhouses. She had no formal artistic training, but like many well to do Victorian ladies, she had leisure time she could devote to botanical painting.  Mrs. Bury honed her craft by constantly drawing flowers; especially lilies. By 1830, she had produced a collection of impressive drawings.  The noted botanist, William Roscoe, was so impressed by Mrs. Bury"s work that he encouraged her to publish a book based on her art.

The magnificent A Selection of Hexandrian Plants was published in London between 1831 and 1834. Mrs. Bury's fine drawings and keen observations were enhanced by the man she hired to be her engraver and artist.  Those collectors familiar with the engravings of John James Audubon"s renowned The Birds of America will recognize the distinctive fine graining of his aquatinted plates and the attribution that appears in the lower left of the Mrs. Bury"s prints - "Engraved, Printed and Coloured by R. Havell."  Robert Havell is considered to be the finest aquatinted engraver who ever lived.  Under Mrs. Bury"s supervision, he produced 51 gorgeous engravings on over sized sheets of paper large enough to depict all of the images life-size.  The resulting stunningly beautiful images are described by the acknowledged authority, Gordon Dunthorne, as "Finely coloured plates of perfect technique, very decorative and "modern" in feeling"" (Dunthorne, #71) They are all that and more.

Only 79 copies of Mrs. Bury's work were printed making it among the rarest of all antique botanicals.
In the accompanying text, Mrs. Bury notes that "This drawing is from a plant that bloomed in Mr. R. Harrison's Hothouse, September, 1828."

Hand colored aquatinted engraving.
25 x 18  inches, sheet.
Complete with accompanying sheet of text.
Very good condition save repaired tear in lower left margin outside of plate.
Nicely preserved original color.