Thornton (Robert John)

Tulips,

mezzotint, printed in colours and finished by hand, engraved by Richard Earlom after Philip Reinagle, an early printing on Whatman paper dated 1794, spotting, small worm hole at centre, plate 480 x 360mm, sheet 533 x 406mm, 1798.

***Published in Thornton's 'Temple of Flora', the first series of flower prints to show the plant within a habitat. Originally sold to subscribers, the 31 plates were finally published in one volume in 1807. Tulips is considered the most desirable and valuable print within the set.

“... the most strikingly beautiful set of flower plates ever to be printed in England, [and] one of the loveliest books in the world” (Alan Thomas, Great Books and Book Collectors pp.142-4).