This is one of many superb watercolours of Eastern Mediterranean flora by the Austrian artist Ferdinand Bauer. Bauer made initial sketches in pencil, using a colour code system of his own invention, while accompanying his employer, the Oxford naturalist John Sibthorp, on a field trip to the Mediterranean. He later worked them up into watercolours in Oxford. The watercolours formed the basis of engravings eventually published in Flora Graeca, an immensely ambitious, multi-volume project which Sibthorp never lived to see.
An introduction to the stunning Flora Graeca by Dr Stephen Harris, Druce Curator of the Oxford University Herbaria
The scientific value of this material is the fact that he went to an area and he explored an area and acurately represented the plants that were growing in the area. Hundreds of new plant species were described from this particular part of the world, which was then almost completely unknown. It's a particularly exciting volume to actually have, this unique manuscript, together with the actual plants that were collected on the expedition, all of the manuscript notes, all of the history of the publication of the volume. The whole collection is here and that's what really makes this material so valuable as a library treasure. It's the material together... but as works of art these are magnificent. As botanical illlustrations, they have very rarely been suceeded.
Posted by Stephen Harris
On 05/09/2011
These are just wow, the colours are just unbelievable l feel really privileged to have had the opportunity to see them, just wish l owned one of these manuscripts.
Comments
What makes this a treasure?
The scientific value of this material is the fact that he went to an area and he explored an area and acurately represented the plants that were growing in the area. Hundreds of new plant species were described from this particular part of the world, which was then almost completely unknown. It's a particularly exciting volume to actually have, this unique manuscript, together with the actual plants that were collected on the expedition, all of the manuscript notes, all of the history of the publication of the volume. The whole collection is here and that's what really makes this material so valuable as a library treasure. It's the material together... but as works of art these are magnificent. As botanical illlustrations, they have very rarely been suceeded.
Posted by Stephen Harris
On 05/09/2011
These are just wow, the colours are just unbelievable l feel really privileged to have had the opportunity to see them, just wish l owned one of these manuscripts.
Posted by Pauline Facer
On 05/09/2011