Australia
300 Years of Botanical Illustration

Book cover This finely crafted and beautifully presented book gives a magnificent overview of the way in which Australian plants have been depicted over the past three centuries. It is the first time that three centuries of botanical art have been brought together in one volume, providing a unique insight into the relationship between art and science. With a foreword by HRH The Prince of Wales, this special publication is a must-have for both collectors of fine books and those with a passion for botanical art.

AUSTRALIA: 300 YEARS OF BOTANICAL ILLUSTRATION is richly illustrated with 160 colour illustrations drawn from major herbaria and museums in both Europe and Australia. The book represents the work of the major artists and illustrators of Australian plants. Some of these works have not previously been published. The book includes extensive endnotes, an appendix on botanical nomenclature, a glossary, references and an index.

sample pages

AUSTRALIA: 300 YEARS OF BOTANICAL ILLUSTRATION tells of the exploits of early explorers, botanists, naturalists, gardeners and artists. It describes the collection and classification of plants for science, as well as the establishment of botanic gardens, herbaria, and publications within the country. Intertwined with this is the history of the art of illustrating plants and of the methods of reproducing those illustrations.

THE AUTHOR, the late Dr Helen Hewson was an acknowledged botanical authority and an illustrator herself. She retired as Deputy Director of the Centre for Plant Biodiversity and Australian National Herbarium, Canberra, jointly administered by CSIRO Plant Industry and the Australian National Botanic Gardens, and died in 2007.

Published by CSIRO Publishing, November 1999

Collectors Edition, (illustrated above) with slip-case $350

Standard Edition, Hardback, 240 pages, 160 colour illustrations $59.95

Available from the Botanical Bookshop, ANBG.