Botanical Illustration in Britain in the Late 18th Century — Early 19th Century in the Context of the Formation of a Taxonomic Approach to Exploration

В статье исследуется «эра Бэнкса» (1778–1820) как особый период в истории британской науки, когда в центре интеллектуальной жизни империи оказалась ботаника, а ботаническая иллюстрация выступала как ведущий практический инструмент познания. Исследование контекстов и смыслов, возникающих вокруг ботанической иллюстрации, связано с рассмотрением практик научного наблюдения за природой, легитимированных и вместе с тем скованных определенными административными нормами, общекультурными стандартами и ценностными ориентирами своей эпохи. Наиболее влиятельной фигурой по отношению к вышеперечисленным факторам развития ботанической иллюстрации в Британии являлся ботаник Джозеф Бэнкс (1743–1820), президент Лондонского королевского общества с 1778 по 1820 год. Биография Дж. Бэнкса рассматривается нами в контексте его имперских амбиций и интеллектуального окружения. Результаты проведенного исследования позволяют углубить понимание властного дискурса подчинения человеком природы, зарождение которого связано с развитием таксономического подхода и совершенствованием способов визуализации ботанического знания. The article investigates the so called Banks era (1778–1820), a period of the history of British science when botany played a key role in the intellectual life of the British Empire and botanical illustrations were a practical tool in the exploration of the world. The investigation of meanings evoked by botanical illustrations is associated with the investigation of observations which are both legitimatized and limited by certain administrative norms, cultural standards, and values characteristic of an epoch. Joseph Banks (1743–1820), an English botanist and president of the Royal Society (1778–1820), was the most prominent figure to promote botanical illustrations in Britain. The article views the biography of Joseph Banks in the context of his imperial ambitions and his intellectual environment. The results of the research provide insight into the understanding of humanity’s domination of nature, whose origin is associated with the development of a taxonomic approach and the improvement of botanical art techniques.

Revisiting the taxonomy of the Neotropical Haemodoraceae (Commelinales)

Based on extensive herbarium, field, botanical illustration, and molecular phylogenetic research, five genera and eight species are recognised for the Neotropical Haemodoraceae. New taxa include Cubanicula Hopper et al., Xiphidium pontederiiflorum M.Pell. et al. and Schiekia timida M.Pell. et al. Two new combinations are made, Cubanicula xanthorrhizos (C.Wright ex Griseb.) Hopper et al. and Schiekia silvestris (Maas & Stoel) Hopper et al. We also correct the author citation for Xiphidium, provide the necessary typifications for several names and present an updated identification key, comments, and photo plates for all species. Finally, we provide high-quality illustrations for most of the recognised species and their diagnostic characters.

The orchids of John Henry Lance (1793–1878)

John Henry Lance, a British barrister, spent a ten-year term in Surinam as Judge appointed to the ‘Mixed Court’ in Paramaribo, a post created to supervise the compliance of the Dutch authorities with a treaty signed between the Netherlands and England in 1818 prohibiting the slave trade in the Dutch colonies. During his term in Paramaribo, Lance, a friend of Bateman and Lindley, collected several new orchid species. However, his collection of watercolors depicting plants from Surinam, many of them orchids, would appear to be more important. Some of these were painted by himself, others by the Surinamese artist Gerrit Schouten. The orchids of this collection, never published, were supplied by the Lindley Library of the R.H.S. and are reproduced here with its kind permission. Key Words: botanical illustration, history of botany, Orchidaceae, Surinam

Beautiful Botanicals: Art from the Australian National Botanic Gardens Library and Archives

The Australian National Botanic Gardens plays an important role in the study and promotion of Australia's diverse range of unique plants through its living collection, scientific research activities and also through the art collection held in the institution's Library and Archives. Australia's history of formal botanical illustration began with the early voyages of discovery with its popularity then declining until the modern day revival in botanical art. The Australian National Botanic Gardens Library and Archives art collection holds works from the Endeavour voyage through to the more contemporary artists of Celia Rosser, Collin Woolcock, Gillian Scott and Aboriginal artists including Teresa Purla McKeeman as well as photographs and outdoor installations.

Why Draw Flowers?

Botanical art and illustration, presented alongside scientific descriptions, were at the heart of Jewish national projects during the British Mandate in Palestine-Israel and following the establishment of the state of Israel in 1948. Looking back, we recognised three prominent women artists who contributed widely to many such botanical projects: Ruth Koppel, Esther Huber and Bracha Avigad. This study aims to investigate the plant images these three artists have created. We will do so by using the approach of visual anthropology while focusing on two main aspects: the connection between botanical illustration and national identity, and the link between botanical art and gender. This study is the first to demonstrate that botanical art in Israeli culture has been gendered, with women doing most of the work, in agreement with findings from Western culture.

Images of Botany: Celebrating the Contribution of Women to the History of Botanical Illustration

The superb botanical illustration collection of Amgueddfa Cymru– National Museum Wales in Cardiff, Wales, has developed through bequests, donations, and selective purchases. Numbering more than 7,000 works, 15% of these are by women, including the work of well-known Victorian artists and leading contemporary artists such as Gillian Griffiths, Pauline Dean, and Dale Evans. In particular, the Cymmrodorion Collection is the most prestigious collection, containing illustrations dating from the 18th century and featuring works by Elizabeth Blackwell, Jane Loudon, and Sarah Drake. Using this and other collections from the museum, this article examines the contribution that women artists have made to the field of botanical illustration by referring to the lives of these women and considering their motives, whether they pursued botanical illustration out of financial necessity, out of scientific curiosity, or to allay boredom. The article further examines the social restrictions and prejudice that many of these women had to overcome.