181 William Curtis (1746–1799) – Botanical Study of an Ornamental Banana (Musa species) – Hand-coloured lithograph (Circa 1895)
This dramatic botanical illustration depicts a tropical plant, most likely an ornamental species of the Banana genus (Musa). The striking study highlights the large, broad leaves—tinted with red and green—and the massive, erect terminal inflorescence featuring vibrant red bracts and delicate yellow flowers. The plate also includes detailed line-engraved insets illustrating the anatomical structure of the flowers and an outline of the plant's growth habit. This print appeared in Curtis's Botanical Magazine, produced to illustrate exotic flora cultivated in the great gardens of Great Britain.
William Curtis was an English apothecary and botanist who founded The Botanical Magazine in 1787. Initially a demonstrator of plants at the Chelsea Physic Garden, Curtis established the magazine as an accessible and affordable vehicle for introducing exotic and ornamental plants to gardeners and botanists. Though Curtis himself died relatively early, the publication continued under a succession of editors—including Sir Joseph Dalton Hooker, Director of Kew—and illustrators like Matilda Smith and Walter Hood Fitch, becoming the longest continuously published and most authoritative botanical serial in history.
Artist or Maker: William Curtis
Dimensions: Approximately 24 × 15 cm
Medium: Hand-coloured lithograph
Date: Circa 1895
Condition Report:
This work is in good condition overall. There may be a few minor imperfections or fox or mottled marks to be expected with age. Please review the images carefully for condition details, and feel free to contact us with any questions or for a comprehensive condition report.
| Estimate | 300 - 400 SEK |
| Buyers Premium (inc. VAT) | 24.4% |
| Hammer Fee (inc. VAT) | 6 SEK |
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