Curtis’s Botanical Magazine blends scientific rigor with artistic expression. This periodical showcases the plant kingdom through detailed botanical illustrations, making complex information accessible. It documents plants, serving as both a scientific record and a celebration of natural beauty. Its continuous publication highlights its lasting impact on botany, horticulture, and botanical art.
Origins and Purpose
The magazine was founded by William Curtis in 1787, initially titled The Botanical Magazine; or, Flower-Garden Displayed. Curtis, an apothecary and botanist, aimed to create a more affordable and accessible botanical publication after his previous work, Flora Londinensis, did not achieve widespread commercial success despite its scientific merit. He aimed to provide horticulturalists, gardeners, and general enthusiasts with systematic knowledge of both newly discovered and ornamental plants, along with practical information regarding their cultivation.
The publication began as a small octavo format, priced at one shilling, containing three to four hand-colored plates with accompanying descriptions. This approach proved immediately popular, selling approximately 3,000 copies of its first issue. He aimed to bridge the gap between academic botany and the growing public interest in exotic and cultivated plants, ensuring the illustrations were “coloured as near to nature as the imperfection of colouring will admit”.
The Art and Science of its Illustrations
A defining characteristic of Curtis’s Botanical Magazine is its exquisite hand-colored botanical illustrations, which serve both scientific and artistic purposes. These illustrations were initially copperplate engravings, meticulously hand-colored by a team of up to thirty individuals to ensure accuracy and aesthetic appeal. This labor-intensive process allowed for precise documentation of plant morphology, aiding in the identification of new species and the study of plant characteristics.
Notable botanical artists contributed their talents to the magazine’s pages, elevating its artistic standing. Early illustrators included James Sowerby, who drew the first plate depicting the Persian Iris, and Sydenham Edwards, who produced over 1,700 plates in the early years. Later, Walter Hood Fitch became a prolific contributor, producing nearly 10,000 drawings over approximately 40 years, followed by Matilda Smith, who created over 2,300 plates between 1878 and 1923. These detailed artworks captured the beauty of plants and established the magazine as a premier journal for botanical illustration.
Enduring Legacy and Accessibility
The Curtis Botanical Magazine has maintained its influence on botany, horticulture, and botanical art over more than two centuries, making it the world’s longest-running continuously published botanical periodical. Currently published by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, under its original title, the magazine continues to serve as an international forum for botanists, horticulturists, plant conservationists, and botanical illustrators. Each four-part volume features 24 plant portraits from watercolor originals by leading artists.
Modern readers can access the magazine’s extensive archive through various platforms. The Biodiversity Heritage Library provides digital access to numerous early volumes, including the first 14 volumes published as The Botanical Magazine (1787-1800) and volumes 15-146 (1801-1920). The National Agricultural Library offers many images from the first 26 volumes, and Project Gutenberg provides illustrated HTML versions of several early volumes. Current issues and subscriptions are available through the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, ensuring the magazine remains a valuable and accessible resource for both scientific study and appreciation of botanical art.