Australia: 300 Years of Botanical Illustration [Hardcover]

Helen J. Hewson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 2000

This beautiful book gives an overview of the way in which Australian plants have been depicted over the past 300 years. The book is illustrated with 160 colour plates drawn from major herbaria in both Europe and Australia and includes extensive endnotes, an appendix on botanical nomenclature, a glossary and references. Relating the exploits of early explorers, botanists, naturalists, gardeners and artists, the book describes the collection and classification of plants for science, as well as the establishment of botanic gardens, herbaria, and publications withtin the country. Included is a foreword by HRH The Prince of Wales.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Helen Hewson --This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: Antique Collectors' Club (March 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1851493344
• ISBN-13: 978-1851493340
• Product Dimensions: 12.2 x 9.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,775,508 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars A Bible for Australian Natural History and its Illustration, February 20, 2011

By 

Charles M. Marsteller "Charley_SF" (San Francisco) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Australia: 300 Years of Botanical Illustration (Hardcover)

This book has clearly positioned itself as the "Bible" for the history of botanical illustration--reporting on most all of the early illustrators of not just Australian (and New Zealander) botanical illustration but of many of the other aspects of Australian natural history. The early artists were assaulted with a wealth of new imagery to record and report to the rest of the world. And many of the artists themselves were the greats of illustration: Parkinson, Solander, the Forsters, Bauer--accompanied by the great natural historians of the day and their champions: Cook, Banks & Solander, Flinders & Hodges, etc. with back up in Europe by Curtis, Edwards and Sowerby, Nodder, Redoute and many others emulating their work in the field. And I should mention, continuing the legacy of those who lost their lives in the endeavor of discovery (Parkinson, Raper, etc).

Hewson also reports the work of the heretofore unknowns, the men in the field that suddenly found themselves as artists: The Port Jackson Painter (Conrad Martin?), Raper, Watling, later Gov.Hunter, and the French.

The quality of the book is good, as are the prints with ample numbers in color.

This book is a solid introduction to this example of human courage and curiosity, and it is a must for any library which concentrates on early Australian history and the history of botanical illustration.