Notes on early botanical publication of australian species, including sources, illustrations and our cast of players. Reference will be made to the first publications and any inconsistencies arising. The task of including the fashion for antipodean botany, particuarly relating to viability in english gardening, and the introduction of books on Natural History for a general readership.
First publication
editThe following notes use the text, A Specimen of the Botany of New Holland, as a starting point for research into this topic. This was produced in four parts, between 1793 and 1795[1], by botanist, James E. Smith and the natural scientist and illustrator, James Sowebry.
People
editSmith and Sowebry were to author the project, but as with all such ventures, other figures played parts in bringing the material. The authors were to go on to produce the mammoth tome, English Botany, in 1790. [1] Other names linked by autors to this project are:
- George Shaw. Produced a two-part work Zoology and Botany of New Holland, with Smith
- Two plates on a botanical subject are produced. Sowebry?
- John White
- George Raper?
- Joseph Banks Visited Sowerby.
- Extras and cameos to be cast or recalled
Publications
edit- A Specimen of the Botany of New Holland
- 1793?
- The work was issued in four parts beginning in 1793 and finishing in 1795. [2] Later parts issued could include updated information, the society could inform them of this. However, publication could have been 1793 for them all, nu?
- Zoology and Botany of New Holland
- 1793? Publication, avail., parts, sources, contents?
- Transactions of the Linnaean Society of London (Linn. Trans. Vol. II)
- 1793? Publication, avail., aust bot. contents?
Footnotes
edit- ^ English Botany or, Coloured Figures of British Plants, with their Essential Characters, Synonyms and Places of Growth, descriptions supplied by Sir James E. Smith, was issued as a part work over 23 years until its completion in 1813. This work was issued in 36 volumes with 2,592 hand-colored plates of British plants.
- ^ His other works were published this way, probably to stagger production of hand coloured plates and spread the cost to the subscriber.
Further reading
edit- "Might be an idea to check R.B. Freeman British Natural History Books 1495-1900 for his opinion on the Sowerbys main works." [by email]
- Seems to be no biography of the Sowerbys; in general, zoological illustration is not much studied compared to botanical or medical. Strange. David Allen The naturalist in Britain 1978 is a kind of social overview. I wish Richard Freeman was still alive; he was knowledgeable about the history of biological publication and would have produced a string of ideas.
I've had a glance at the Sowerby Family page; seems to concentrate a bit too much on conchology; James certainly did all kinds of biological illustration. I believe the family did a good deal of one-off illustrations to keep the cash coming in; but the absence of a good published history does make it difficult to check. I wonder if anyone has done a dissertation on James and/or the faimily. I assume the technology was copper plate engravings coloured by hand. Be interesting to know whether he cut the engraving himself; usually these guys did a watercolour and the rest was done by a London firm specialising in plates (remember Darwin and the Zoology of the Beagle? He hired the artist and the publisher arranged the rest). Sounds from what you say that S. organised all the work on plates. [more from helpful user]