A treasure trove of botanical illustrations

When Winterbourne took responsibility for the University Herbarium a few years ago, we had no idea what treasures we were going to uncover. Opening some of the cardboard boxes revealed a major collection of prints by a significant figure in the history of botanical illustration, James Sowerby.

James Sowerby by Thomas Heaphy

Sowerby was born in 1757 at a time of burgeoning interest in science and natural history. Born in London, he became fascinated by all aspects of the natural world and displayed a prodigious talent for drawing and painting. He honed his skills further while studying at the Royal Academy. Sowerby produced outstanding illustrations of plants, animals, fossils and minerals, while gaining an encyclopaedic knowledge of natural history and setting up his own museum.

The prints we have relate to Sowerby’s ‘English Botany’, a 36-volume compendium of English plants which he produced between 1790 and 1813. The original illustrations were hand-coloured engravings. Our prints may have been a later print run, perhaps produced in the mid-19th century. Sowerby’s illustrations were drawn from actual specimens and very carefully researched, and his scientific approach marked him out from many previous botanical illustrators. 

Claire cataloguing Sowerby prints

We are still in the process of cataloguing our Sowerby print collection, and one of our dedicated collections volunteers, Claire, has been working through them. With around 1,000 prints to catalogue, Claire has her work cut out! Most are in excellent condition. They were bequeathed to University of Birmingham in the 1930s by a plant collector called Harold Stuart Thompson, who also collected thousands of plant specimens which are now in the Herbarium collection.

Sowerby’s prints will regularly make an appearance as part of our permanent Herbarium exhibition, ‘The Dry Garden’. The prints are also providing inspiration for artists; Helen Newton, whose work is currently on display on the second floor, has made some beautiful watercolours based upon Sowerby’s work.

Come and see them for yourself by visiting Helen’s exhibition, ‘Houses, Gardens and Floral Designs’, on your next visit.