Moore Pl. 49, Hymenophyllum tunbridgense; H.unilaterale captures the subtle texture and nuanced detail of the fern.
Printed directly from nature through the process of electroplating, this original 19th-century print elegantly displays the detailed anatomy of the fern. Refresh your space with this verdant addition!
About The Ferns of Great Britain
Thomas Moore’s publication The Ferns of Great Britain and Ireland comprises 51 plates depicting the various fern species found throughout the noted geographical area. This publication is unique in that a new printing technique called electroplating was combined with old-world engraving to produce veristic representations of the various fern species.
Among the finest examples of nature printing, the technique combined old-world engraving with new scientific applications of electroplating. Pioneered by The Imperial Printing Office in Vienna, the nature printing process employed in this folio involved pressing a natural object into a lead plate. Since lead is soft and degenerates easily, to print the folio, an exact copy of the lead plate was made in copper by the electrotype method. The result was fine engravings that conveyed the realism of an impression made directly from the pressed plant.
About Thomas Moore
Thomas Moore (1821—1887) was a British botanist, author, and curator of the notable Chelsea Physic Garden, where he observed and documented an increased number of fern species. Moore compiled the fern specimens and spearheaded the publication of a monograph on The Ferns of Great Britain and Ireland, for which he also wrote the accompanying text.
For more information about Moore Pl. 49, Hymenophyllum tunbridgense; H.unilaterale, email us at [email protected] or check out our article The Historical Significance of Botanical Illustration.
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