Robert John Thornton
Pioniere di illustrazioni botaniche sontuose
Robert John Thornton era un medico e scrittore botanico inglese, noto per «Una nuova illustrazione del sistema sessuale di Carolus Von Linnæus» (1797-1807) e «La Flora britannica» del 1812. Era figlio di Bonnell Thornton e studiò al Trinity College di Cambridge. Ispirato dalle lezioni di botanica di John Martyn e dall'opera di Linneo, passò dal clero alla medicina. Lavorò al Guy's Hospital di Londra, dove in seguito tenne lezioni di botanica medica. Dopo aver trascorso un periodo all'estero, si stabilì ed esercitò la professione a Londra. In 1799 Thornton commenced his work on the New Illustration of the Sexual System of Carolus von Linnaeus a work of botanical science to be published in three parts. The first was a dissertation on the sex of plants according to the Swedish scientist, Carolus von Linnaeus and the second an exposition of the sexual system.The most ambitious part of the New Illustration of the Sexual System of Carolus Linnæus was Part III, the Temple of Flora (1799-1807). The first plates were engraved by Thomas Medland in May 1798, from paintings by Philip Reinagle. Between 1798 and 1807, they produced a total of thirty-three coloured plates, engraved in aquatint, stipple and line engraving.
Artworks by this artist (108 total)
- The aloe 1807
- Arbutus Andrachne ; or Oriental Strawberry Tree 1799[-]1810
- Artichoke in Flower 1799[-]1810
- 1. Ficus. The Fig. 1799[-]1810
- Anatomy of the Nodding Renealmia 1799[-]1810
- Melaleuca Ericifolia, or Heath-leaved Melaleuca 1799[-]1810
- Anatomy of the Sweet Pea 1799[-]1810
- Antirrhinum Major ; or Great Snap Dragon 1799[-]1810
- Butomus umbellatus, or Flowering Rush 1799[-]1810
- Cardamine Pratensis ; or Common Ladies-smock 1799[-]1810
- Ferraria Tigrida 1799[-]1810
- Nicotiana, Tobacco 1799[-]1810
- Scilla Peruviana ; or Peruvian Hyacinth 1799[-]1810
- Æsculapius, Ceres, and Cupid honouring the bust of Linnæus 1807
- The China limodoron 1807
- Lythrum Salicaria ; or Purple-spiked Willow-herb 1799[-]1810
- Calla Ethiopica, or African Calla 1799[-]1810
- The winged passion-flower 1807
- Anatomy of the Dragon Arum. A poisonous Plant 1799[-]1810
- Hyacinths 1807