Sir John Hill (1714-1775) - The Vegetable System

Sir John Hill (1714-1775)
​Tableau Botanica (Pl. 17) from "The Vegetable System"
​Description of the work:
Precious copper engraving, finely hand-watercoloured in its time, taken from the vastest botanical work ever published in the eighteenth century. The plate illustrates several species with extraordinary scientific detail, typical of Hill's approach, who was among the first to adopt Linnaean classification in England. Among the depicted plants stand out a Mamillaria Cactus and a Sea Pancratium, rendered with a chromatic vivacity that only eighteenth‑century hand-colouring can reproduce.
​Hill's work is famous not only for its precision, but for the artistic elegance of the plates, which were produced under the patronage of Lord Boyce and earned the author the Order of Vasa from the King of Sweden.
​Technical Details:
​Author: Sir John Hill.
​Title of the work: The Vegetable System.
​Dating: About 1760-1770.
​Technique: Copper engraving (etching/bull) with hand-watercolouring.
​Identification: "Pl. 17" (Plate 17) visible in the upper right.
​Engraver: At the bottom center is the signature of the engraver (probably Boyce, sculptor, collaborator of Hill's workshop).
​State of conservation:
The work presents itself in excellent condition for its age. The paper bears the typical patina of time that guarantees its authenticity. It is housed in a light wood frame with a refined green-and-gold passe-partout with "files/lines" that enhances its antique aesthetics without encroaching on the sheet.