Botany Australia Eucalyptus viminalis Forest Flora of South Australia  Antique Print 1882

Antique chromolithograph drawn on stone by H. Barratt and lithographed by E Spiller after Rosa Catherine Fiveash (1855-1938), born in Adelaide and was trained in scientific illustration for this large project that she worked on for 8 years.She was still painting until 80 years of age.

Printed at the Government Printer (corner of King William Rd./North Tce), issued by subscription 1882-90 for John Edne Brown's Forest Flora of South Australia

Condition Good clean chromolithograph with soft corrugation along edges of paper.

Paper Size 55 x 41cm (22 x 16.4 inch) / Image Size 44.5 x 34cm (17.8 x 13.6 inch)

John Ednie Brown (1848-1899): “The Forest Flora of South Australia” that was offered for sale by subscription between 1882-90.  Born in Scotland, Brown visited the USA in 1871 and wrote a report on the Californian forests, it was soon after this that he was offered the position of Conservator of Forests in South Australia. Not only had South Australia's native habitats been stressed by large scale commercial cropping, but also by pastoral activities, hence there was great contemporary concern. Brown had seen similar pressures on the California flora so set about recording the  largest & most accurate group of lithographs depicting Australian native plants made in the colonial period. This would serve as a local botanical record, the Adelaide Botanical Gardens established in 1856 could harvest and store seeds, and local artist, Rose Catherine Fiveash, was taught to depict the samples for classification. They were chromo-lithographed and printed by the Government Printer in Adelaide.