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The copperplate engravings below are
cut from John Hill's
(1716-75) chief botanical work The
Vegetable System, published
between 1759 and 1775 in twenty-six volumes. John Hill
started out as an apothecary. Following his apprenticeship, he
opened a small shop in Westminister, where he practiced herbal
medicine. Finding the practice unrewarding, he later tried
acting, play-writing, journalism, and garden planning. At the
request of Lord Bute, Hill
undertook The Vegetable System, which
at the time of Hill's death included 1544 plates representing
26,000 different plants. Many of the plants were brought back to England by
travellers to India, the Far East, and the Americas. The King of
Sweden awarded Hill the Order of Vasa in 1774. The timeand
expence required to produce the copperplate engravings doomed the work
financially, but the plates continue to be highly regarded for their
beauty.
A few of the prints are a little smaller (11 x 17.5 inches) and printed on paper that is little thinner. The smaller size is noted in the description. Scarce |
John Hill
Botanicals
