Plants as Food. Arrowroot, Cassava, Yam, Sweet Potato c1857

$165.00

19thC antique print of Plants Used As Food: Arrowroot, Maranta arundinacea. Maniocor Cassava, Janipha Manihot. Yam, Dioscoroea alata. Sweet Potato, Ipomaea batatas.

Fine original hand-coloured steel engraving c1857 by James Bishop after the drawing by Walter Hood Fitch (1817-1892) for A History of the Vegetable Kingdom… a work on the practical applications of botany by William Rhind (1797-1874). Though rarely seen today, Rhind's interesting work, was reissued a number of times. This lovely engraving was from the 1855 edition.

William Rhind trained in medicine, became a licentiate of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh in 1818, and then moved to London for 2 years. He returned to Elgin in Scotland, set up a medical practice and sold medicines. More interested in lecturing in natural science – particularly botany, zoology and geology, Rhind moved to Edinburgh around 1824. In 1854 he was lecturing in the medical faculty of Merischal College in Aberdeen. Rhind's research and travel was amazing considering that throughout his life he was partially lame in both legs. Rhind was apparently "universally loved for his character and bearing, and was a most amiable man".

Walter Hood Fitch (1817-1892) was one of the most prolific and skilled botanical draughtsmen of the in the mid-nineteenth century. Fitch engraved and lithographed thousands of his own botanical prints over the years, but his skill is perhaps most evident in this series of multi-layered seemingly three-dimensional compositions of groups of botanical subjects for Rhind's 'Practical Applications of Botany'.

This fine engraving has been cropped at top at time of publication, and faint soiling and age discolouration – as is to be expected at this age. Page size is 245 x 160mm (9.5 x 6.25 inches).