Walter Hood Fitch Prints from Curtis Botanical Magazine

William Curtis began publication of the Botanical Magazine in February 1787 and continued almost without interruption for 160 years. After Curtis edited the first 13 volumes, the publication continued under the editors: John Simms (1800-1826), William Jackson Hooker (1827-1865) and Joseph Dalton Hooker (1865-1904). The images were engraved and hand-coloured by many artists including Sydenham Edwards, William Graves, James Sowerby, John Curtis, William Jackson Hooker, W.H. Fitch, Matilda Smith, Lillian Snelling and Stella Rose Craig. The plates are known for their fine detail and delicate hand coloring. The prints are all copper engravings to Volume 70 & then stone or zinc lithography until the introduction of color printing in 1948. It is the longest running botanical magazine and was entirely hand colored until 1948. References: Blunt (1994) pp 211 - 217, Great Flower Books pp 156 - 157, Nissen BPI 2350, Staflue 1290.

These Curtis prints are from the Walter Hood Fitch years, the time of a long collaboration between Fitch and the editor of the magazine, Sir William Jackson Hooker. It was a partnership which lasted over 40 years, during which time Fitch was the sole artist for Curtis Botanical Magazine & Kew Gardens. Sadly, this creative partnership was dissolved after a financial dispute, which both parties regretted, but never resolved.

Walter Hood Fitch was the greatest botanical artist of his time and we are exceptionally pleased to have such a good selection of his finest work. The prints are much rarely than the earlier Curtis, as may fewer were published, so it is doubly satisfying to offer to Curtis collectors.