Lot 12: BAUER, FRANZ ANDREAS.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[Strelitzia depicta or coloured figures of the known species of the genus strelitzia from the drawings in the British Library. London: printed for Messrs Arch at the lithographic press of Messrs Harris, 1818]

Broadsheet (555 x 420mm. and 552 x 410mm.), 2 hand-coloured plates only (of 11) after Franz Bauer, one etched by H.B.K., the second a lithograph but unsigned, mounted, two 10mm. tears in lower margin of the first, 40mm. tear in left margin of the second

Henrey 3:439; Nissen BBI 99; Stafleu TL2 364

very rare hand-coloured illustrations of strelitzias by "the greatest botanical artist of all time" (Blunt), including an example of some of the earliest botanical lithography. The complete work was issued unbound with a lithographic title and eleven plates. The two plates here show Strelitzia regina, the first with the etched outline showing the complete plant with a detail of a leaf, the second lithographic plate a life size depiction of the flower, with a printed base so light as to give the appearance of original watercolour.