For New Zealand Fine Prints, June sees the release of a series of prints of botanical paintings by a now well-known woman artist from the 19th century - Sarah Featon.
New Zealand Botanical artist Sarah Featon (1848-1927) illustrated the Art Album of New Zealand Flora, published in 1888, with the plates illustrated by Featon and the text written by her husband Edward. Reputedly created to counter the belief among botanists that there were no flowers on New Zealand native plants, this book was the first full colour book to be actually printed in New Zealand. The chromo-lithographs of her botanical illustrations (in watercolour originally) were completed by Bock and Cousins lithographers in Wellington.
Her collection is here, the first three are from the new series https://www.prints.co.nz/page/fine-art/CTGY/Artists_Featon_Sarah, and for access to the original book please visit http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/65640#page/24/mode/1up .
Bringing to prominence the work of women working in science and of course decorating with “botanical posters” is a nationalistic art at some level, as our plants are unique and part of the New Zealand identity. The prints are of plants such as Kōwhai, Mānuka, Karaka and Mountain Lily.
Botanical illustration is the art of depicting the form, colour, and details of plant species, frequently in watercolour paintings. They must be scientifically accurate but often also have an artistic component, and may be printed with a botanical description in books, magazines, and other media, or sold as a work of art. Often composed in consultation with a scientific author, their creation requires an understanding of plant morphology and access to specimens and references.
New Zealand Fine Prints now stock a large range of modern re-prints of her illustration from the Art Album of New Zealand Flora, and for more information on canvas wall art NZ please go to http://www.prints.co.nz .
