A Curtis's Botanical Plate — Antique Botanical Print

The Story in the Margin

This plate belongs to the tradition of Curtis's Botanical Magazine, founded in 1787 by William Curtis, a London apothecary turned botanist who had served as Demonstrator of Botany at the Chelsea Physic Garden. Curtis designed the magazine to be affordable and accessible, priced at just one shilling an issue, pairing scientifically accurate engravings with practical cultivation notes for the "Ladies, Gentlemen and Gardeners" who made up his readership. Still in publication today, it holds the record as the world's longest-running botanical periodical, and its early hand-colored plates remain benchmark examples of Georgian-era botanical illustration.

Materials & origin

• Material: 200 gsm gallery-grade, acid-free fine-art paper (FSC-certified).
• Print: Archival giclée, 12-colour printing, smooth matte finish for glare-free display.
• Artwork: Restored from a public-domain original; colour and detail digitally cleaned for large-format print.
• Origin: Made on demand and shipped from the print hub nearest you, cutting transit and waste.
• Framing: Sold unframed; ships rolled in a protective tube.