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Joseph Banks' Florilegium

Botanical Treasures from Cook's First Voyage

Format: Hardback
£40.00

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Joseph Banks accompanied Captain Cook on his first voyage round the world from 1768 to 1771. A gifted and wealthy young naturalist, Banks collected exotic flora from Madeira, Brazil, Tierra del Fuego, the Society Islands, New Zealand, Australia and Java, bringing back over 1,300 species that had never been seen or studied by Europeans. On his return, Banks commissioned over 700 superlative engravings between 1772 and 1784. Known collectively as Banks’ Florilegium, they are some of the most precise and exquisite examples of botanical illustration ever created.

The Florilegium was never published in Banks’ lifetime, and it was not until 1990 that a complete set in colour was issued in a boxed edition (limited to 100 copies) under the direction of the British Museum (Natural History). It is from these prints that the present selection is made, directed by David Mabberley, who has provided expert botanical commentaries, with additional texts by art historian Mel Gooding, setting the works in context as a perfect conjunction of nature, science and art. An afterword by Joseph Studholme describes the history of the modern printing.
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Imprint:
Thames Hudson Ltd
Illustrations Note:
181 Illustrations, color
Year Published:
2019
Country of Publication:
United Kingdom
Format:
Hardback
ISBN:
9780500022870
Number of Pages:
320
Place of Publication:
London
Publication Date:
12/09/2019
Publisher:
Thames & Hudson Ltd
Language:
English
SKU:
9780500022870

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