The Temple of Flora - Antique Originals

The production of The Temple of Flora was orchestrated by Dr. Robert Thornton in concert with a number of talented artists and printmakers who executed the majority of the illustrations. Containing 33 plates that dramatically and poetically illustrated Linnaeus’ discoveries about the sexual system of plants, the folio was rendered using a number of printmaking methods including aquatint, mezzotint, stipple, and line engraving. Most plates were altered at various points, resulting in as many as four distinct states for some images. Despite its lack of financial return at the time of its production, Dr. Robert Thornton’s epic depictions of flowers are celebrated as one of the most significant artistic contributions to botanical art of that period.