Antique Botanical Prints
from The Botanical Register

Background:

This series of hand colored botanical prints date from 1816 to 1832 and appeared in issues of The Botanical Register: Consisting of Coloured Figures of Exotic Plants, Cultivated in British Gardens.  The Botanical Register was founded by Sydenham Edwards (1768-1819) in 1815 to promote an understanding of ornamental flowers cultivated in British gardens, though originally found in overseas countries.   It was published through 1847.

Sydenham Edwards had been one of the original botanical artists for Curtis's Botanical Magazine, completing over 1700 botanical watercolors before founding The Botanical Register following a disagreement with Curtis's publisher.  Edwards completed many of the illustrations that appeared in his magazine until his death in 1819.   Many of the botanical prints on this page are based on his work.  After that, and until the magazine ceased publication in 1847, the illustrations were done by other established botanical artists of the day including M. Hart, John Lindley, Mrs. Withers and Miss S. A. Drake.

The botanical prints shown on this page are referred to as "double page" plates as they were twice the size of the standard page in issues of The Botanical Register.  To accomodate inclusion in the magazine each print has a minor fold in the middle.