Description |
1 unnumbered volume, 38 leaves of plates : 29 coloured illustrations, 9 black and white illustrations ; 57cm in box 60 x 40 cm + commentary (117 pages ; 31 cm) + 2 coloured prints (22 x 18 cm) |
Contents |
The 'Temple of flora' commentary / by Stephen Harris. (London : Folio Society, 2008): The historical background -- Introduction -- Thornton the man -- Thornton's world -- Plants and patronage -- Plants and empire -- Plants and medicine -- Thornton's botany -- A passion for diversity -- Classification and taxonomy -- Linnaeus and the Linnaean system -- Botany in competition -- Conception of the 'Temple of flora' -- Making the 'Temple of flora' -- Artists and engravers -- Poets -- Funding and administration -- Reception of the 'Temple of flora' -- Legacy of the 'Temple of flora' -- Commentary on the plates -- Contents of the 'Temple of flora' -- Æsculapius, Flora, Ceres and Cupid honouring the bust of Linnæus -- Cupid inspiring plants with love -- Flora dispensing her favours on the earth -- The snowdrop -- The Persian cyclamen -- Hyacinths -- Roses -- A group of carnations -- A group of auriculas -- Tulips -- The queen flower -- The aloe -- The nodding renealmia -- The night-blowing cereus -- The oblique-leaved begonia -- Large flowering sensitive plant -- The blue passion flower -- The winged passion-flower -- The quadrangular passion-flower -- The white lily -- The superb lily -- The dragon arum -- The maggot-bearing stapelia -- American bog-plants -- Pitcher plant -- The pontic rhododendron -- The American cowslip -- The narrow-leaved kalmia -- The China limodoron -- Indian reed -- The sacred Egyptian bean -- The blue Egyptian water-lily |
Summary |
Robert Thornton was the visionary creator of the finest of all English flower books, 'The Temple of flora'. Despite being neither an artist nor a professional botanist, he was fascinated by the rapid development in botanical knowledge of his time and inspired by the success of flower books in France. Thornton was convinced that Britain should be leading Europe in both the arts and the sciences, and wrote that he planned to create a botanical book which would be a National Honour, 'which in Point of Magnificence is intended to exceed all other Works of a similar Nature on the Continent'. In posterity's eyes, he succeeded, although he bankrupted himself in the process. Today the plates from this near-legendary work are some of the loveliest and most popular of all flower illustrations. Although much loved as prints and frequently reproduced in books on botanical art, there has never been a full facsimile of The Temple of Flora, presenting the plates as they were originally meant to be seen - together with Thornton's idiosyncratic and charming text. From the delicate colouring of A Group of Tulips and elegant form of The Sacred Egyptian Bean to the drama of The Night-Blowing Cereus (on which the binding design of this edition was based) and The Dragon Arum, these plates are exceptional works of art, whose value, both monetary and cultural, has steadily increased with the passage of time |
Notes |
"Dedication by permission to Her Most Excellent Majesty Charlotte Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland ...Anno Domini MDCCXCIX [1799] Her most obedient and devoted servant Robert John Thornton MD" -- Dedication page |
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"Reproduced and printed by Beacon Press, Uckfield, Sussex, on Modigliani papers." -- Colophon |
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"The Temple of Flora has been reproduced from a copy of the first edition in the possession of the Folio Society, with exception to the following plates, Carolus Linnaeus, Linnaeus in his Lapland dress, Tulip, the Aloe, the night-blowing Cereus, the maggott-bearing Stapelia, Pitcher plant and the American cowslip, which was reproduced by permission of the Linnean Society of London; and Æsculapius, Flora and honouring the Bust of Linnaeus, which is repoduced by kind permission of the Royal Botanic Graden Edinburgh." -- Colophon |
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"The edition is limited to 1980 numbered copies fro sale to members of the Folio Society, and 25 lettered copies which are not for sale." -- Colophon |
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Accompanied by two limited edition prints depicting 'A group of tulips' and 'The blue Egyptian water-lily' |
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"Tomkins Scriptsit" , "Vincent Sculpsit" -- title page 2nd leaf |
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9 preliminary monchrome plates, 29 coloured illustrative plates |
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Facsimile edition states: "London. Published by Dr Thornton, May 1806 " -- engraved titel page ; " London. Printed for the Publisher, January the 1st MDCCXCIX [1799] " -- title page 2nd leaf |
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The title page is engraved and on 2 successive leaves |
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Quarter bound in Nigerian goatskin leather with buckram sides printed and blocked with a design by David Eccles in a solander box |
Subject |
Botanical illustration -- Great Britain -- Early works to 1800.
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Flowers -- Great Britain -- Illustrations -- Early works to 1800.
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Flowers -- Great Britain -- Poetry -- Early works to 1800.
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Natural history illustration -- Great Britain -- Early works to 1800.
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Genre/Form |
Pictures.
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Poetry.
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Author |
Harris, Stephen, author of additional commentary
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