2 British Thornton Botanical Engravings, 1804 & 1805
**Originally Listed At $300**
"The Two-housed Lychnis" Published October 1, 1805 by Dr. Robert John Thornton (British, 1768-1837), London. Drawn by Peter Henderson. Engraved by Caldwall. "The Two Sexes on different Plants. Spinach. Male Plant and Female Plant." Published in 1804 by Dr. Thornton, London. Painted by Peter Henderson. Engraved by Caldwall. Two stunning hand-colored engravings created for Dr. Robert Thornton who was most famous for his impressive flower book entitled "The Temple of Flora" (1807). One composition presents the two sexes of the spinach plant - the male plant and the female plant - while the other presents the two sexes of the Two-housed lychnis, the male and the female plant, from seed to flower. Both are set in colorful mattes with protective cellophane windows. Size of Spinach engraving: 19.25" L x 13.5" W (48.9 cm x 34.3 cm) Size of Lychnis engraving: 19.25" L x 13.25" W (48.9 cm x 33.7 cm) Size of matte for Spinach (Lychnis is about the same size): 24.5" L x 18.5" W (62.2 cm x 47 cm)
Thornton's Temple of Flora is recognized as one of if not the greatest English color-plate flower book. A wealthy heir, Thornton trained as a medical doctor. Although he had success in the medical field and was appointed as physician to the Marylebone Dispensary and lecturer in medical botany at Guy's and St. Thomas's hospitals, he set out to unite the arts and sciences by creating his beautiful book. Interestingly, what Redoute produced supported by the patronage of L'Heritier, Marie Antoinette, the Empress Josephine, Charles X and the Duchesse de Berry, Thornton elected to pursue on his own, employing numerous artists to depict twenty-eight paintings of flowers. These were commissioned from Abraham Pether (also called Moonlight Pether), Philip Reinagle, Sydenham Edwards, and Peter Henderson. Sadly, this pursuit left Thornton in dire financial straits. In order to extricate himself of this debt, he created the Royal Botanic Lottery under Prince Regent's patronage.
Provenance: private Lucille Lucas collection, Crested Butte, Colorado, USA
All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.
A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.
PLEASE NOTE: Due to recent increases of shipments being seized by Australian & German customs (even for items with pre-UNESCO provenance), we will no longer ship most antiquities and ancient Chinese art to Australia & Germany. For categories of items that are acceptable to ship to Australia or Germany, please contact us directly or work with your local customs brokerage firm.
Display stands not described as included/custom in the item description are for photography purposes only and will not be included with the item upon shipping.
#134138
Condition Report: Spinach engraving has minor tears (about .5") to peripheries of the sheet that do not impact the printed imagery. The sheet shows slight toning, minor stains, and slight matte burn from a previous matte. Lychnis shows minor losses and creases to peripheries, slight toning, and minor stains. Mattes are in nice condition save slight age wear.
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**Originally Listed At $300**
"The Two-housed Lychnis" Published October 1, 1805 by Dr. Robert John Thornton (British, 1768-1837), London. Drawn by Peter Henderson. Engraved by Caldwall. "The Two Sexes on different Plants. Spinach. Male Plant and Female Plant." Published in 1804 by Dr. Thornton, London. Painted by Peter Henderson. Engraved by Caldwall. Two stunning hand-colored engravings created for Dr. Robert Thornton who was most famous for his impressive flower book entitled "The Temple of Flora" (1807). One composition presents the two sexes of the spinach plant - the male plant and the female plant - while the other presents the two sexes of the Two-housed lychnis, the male and the female plant, from seed to flower. Both are set in colorful mattes with protective cellophane windows. Size of Spinach engraving: 19.25" L x 13.5" W (48.9 cm x 34.3 cm) Size of Lychnis engraving: 19.25" L x 13.25" W (48.9 cm x 33.7 cm) Size of matte for Spinach (Lychnis is about the same size): 24.5" L x 18.5" W (62.2 cm x 47 cm)
Thornton's Temple of Flora is recognized as one of if not the greatest English color-plate flower book. A wealthy heir, Thornton trained as a medical doctor. Although he had success in the medical field and was appointed as physician to the Marylebone Dispensary and lecturer in medical botany at Guy's and St. Thomas's hospitals, he set out to unite the arts and sciences by creating his beautiful book. Interestingly, what Redoute produced supported by the patronage of L'Heritier, Marie Antoinette, the Empress Josephine, Charles X and the Duchesse de Berry, Thornton elected to pursue on his own, employing numerous artists to depict twenty-eight paintings of flowers. These were commissioned from Abraham Pether (also called Moonlight Pether), Philip Reinagle, Sydenham Edwards, and Peter Henderson. Sadly, this pursuit left Thornton in dire financial straits. In order to extricate himself of this debt, he created the Royal Botanic Lottery under Prince Regent's patronage.
Provenance: private Lucille Lucas collection, Crested Butte, Colorado, USA
All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.
A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.
PLEASE NOTE: Due to recent increases of shipments being seized by Australian & German customs (even for items with pre-UNESCO provenance), we will no longer ship most antiquities and ancient Chinese art to Australia & Germany. For categories of items that are acceptable to ship to Australia or Germany, please contact us directly or work with your local customs brokerage firm.
Display stands not described as included/custom in the item description are for photography purposes only and will not be included with the item upon shipping.
#134138
Condition Report: Spinach engraving has minor tears (about .5") to peripheries of the sheet that do not impact the printed imagery. The sheet shows slight toning, minor stains, and slight matte burn from a previous matte. Lychnis shows minor losses and creases to peripheries, slight toning, and minor stains. Mattes are in nice condition save slight age wear.
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