Erica mucosa. Henry Andrews’s Heath antique print c.1805.

$200.00

Exquisitely formed Erica mucosa: Heath, with botanical dissections.

Drawn and etched into a copper plate c1805, with fine dissections of the flower below the main engraving; each print was hand-coloured “from living plants only”, by English botanical artist and botanical art teacher, Henry C. Andrews (1770-1830), for publication in his finest work, the superb monograph Coloured Engravings of Heaths, published in London between 1794 and 1830.

Focussing on the genus Erica, these Heaths were introduced to Great Britain from South Africa during the first half of the nineteenth century. Andrews's publication greatly improved worldwide knowledge of Ericas, and his superb illustrations surely contributed to Ericas becoming the mania of nineteenth century horticulture in Britain.

The text page is available – with description and taxonomy in Latin and English. Page size is 41cm x 25cm (16 x 9 3/4 inches).