The Art of Botanical Illustration

Hardback. 360 pp. 270 x 215 mm. 123 colour and 148 b/w botanical illustrations. ISBN 9781788841085, ACC Art Books in association with RBG Kew, 2021.

This major work, first published in 1950, is still considered the classic book on the subject. It provides a comprehensive, critical and well-illustrated survey of the portrayal of plants across over three thousand years, now in a more compact size.

Of the first edition, the poet and gardening writer, Vita Sackville-West said: "Let no one think this is a book only for the specialist. It is essential for the specialist, certainly, but it is also for all the flower-lovers and all those who enjoy the by-ways of biography and the added attraction of good writing".

This edition contains 126 colour plates (more than twice as many as the first edition), alongside 140 black and white illustrations. With a new introduction by Martyn Rix, editor of Curtis's Botanical Magazine, it invites the reader to appreciate the works of the greatest botanical illustrators both past and present.

Wilfrid Blunt (1901-87) was an art master at Haileybury College and at Eton College, Windsor. On his retirement in 1959 he became Curator of the Watts Gallery, near Guildford, Surrey. Here Blunt devoted most of his time to writing and travel and published some 25 books. An artist himself, Blunt brought to Botanical Illustration a craftsman's appreciation, as well as knowledge gained from experience, his extensive reading and visits to many galleries on the Continent. William Stearn (1911-2001) had a lifelong interest in botanical illustration. His numerous publications included Botanical Latin, Australian Flower Paintings of Ferdinand Bauer, Merian in Surinam, Plant Portraits from the Flora Danica, Flower Artists of Kew and The Orchid Paintings of Franz Bauer. He provided assistance on botanical, biographical and bibliographical matters in Botanical Illustration, and contributed part of the text.