Sowerby, James (1757 - 1822)

London. Artist and engraver.

Sowerby was a London natural historian, artist and engraver. He trained at the Royal Academy School and contributed to the illustration and publication of numerous books and periodicals. As a botanical illustrator, he worked with Pierre-Joseph Redoute and Ferdinand Bauer.

Worked closely with (and independently of) James Edward Smith on the illustration and publication of numerous books and periodicals. These included J.Smith, A Specimen of the Botany of New Holland (1793-1795)

Examples of artwork:

Platylobium formosum
Styphelia tubiflora
Goodenia ramosissima

References: A.M.Coates The Treasury of Flowers (1975); M.Rix The Art of the Plant World (1981); L.deBray The Art of Botanical Illustration (1989); W.Blunt & W.T.Stearn The Art of Botanical Illustration 2^nd edn (1994); B.Elliott Treasures of the Royal Horticultural Society (1994); D.Scrase Flower Drawings (1997); H.Hewson Australia - 300 Years of Botanical Illustration (1999)

Source: Extracted from: Wrigley, J.W. (2013) Eucalypt Flowers, National Library of Australia, Canberra.