Three centuries old rose engravings

9 years ago

The Royal Society of England has made available prints of some of their engravings from centuries ago.
(It's a great website just to wander through.)

But being's how this is the Antique Rose Forum, I thought you'd like to look at Elizabeth Blackwell's art work of Rosa alba, Rosa rubra, and Rosa damascene.

The artist stood out for several reasons: first she was a woman back when women weren't that active in science. Second she not only did the drawings, but she made the engravings as well, which she published in a book.

And, to my envy, she must have seen the blue poppy in person, because she made a lovely plate of it as well.

This link will take you to the page with her three illustrations; on the next page is a really historic drawing of what another scientist saw when he looked at "Blight on a rose leaf"

Enjoy

Here is a link that might be useful: Page 10 of plants and flowers prints

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (11)

ingrid_vc so. CA zone 9
9 years ago
The pictures are wonderful, Ann, by which I mean all of them because I had to look at all the pages. Mark Cateby's birds are very beautiful and I also enjoyed some of Richard Waller's flowers, especially his portrait of an iris. Thank you for this uplifting experience. The news on TV is all bad and it was healing to see that man (and woman) is also capable of creating something of beauty and worth.

Ingrid
mendocino_rose
9 years ago
Thank you Ann. What a pleasure it is to look at these.
Related Discussions
Name the Three Most Beautiful Modern Roses
Q
Comments (53)
Picking 3 is darn near impossible. Anyway, here are 3 that come to mind instantly. Lady of the Dawn I've been growing this beautiful Floribunda since 1989. Big bush, beautiful blooms. BOOM! I'm hooked. Louise Estes I started growing this beautiful HT since the late 1990's. For me this HT has it all. Vigorous growth, great foliage, great cutting stems, beautiful blooms with a nice clean scent. Ring of Fire This beautiful HT is a fairly new entry into the rose world. Just like Louise Estes, it has the whole package. Bush, foliage, stems, blooms and scent.
...See More
What is your favorite red Old Garden Rose?
Q
Comments (54)
I'd like to put in a good word for Tradescant. Not sure if I can say it's my favorite, but I wouldn't be without it. I can't seem to figure out how to post pics, but I know Patrick (my enabler on that one) has some incredible pics of it that might be nice to add to this thread. General Jacqueminot might actually be my fave - at any rate, every time I see it I say that. Trouble is, it is very prone to BS. But, oh, the perfection of color (whitish-bluish blush backing) and nodding, full blooms... Celeste - love your pic of General Washington. It has long been on my wish list, but I have hesitated to get it, since so many HPs have disease problems and (to me) awkward plant habits. Is it a lot of trouble?... Souv. du Dr. Jamain is the second most remarked upon rose in my garden the first being Jude the Obscure). Smoldering, saturated, and trouble-free. I call it my Dr. Huey substitute. Am I the only one who actually really likes the old doctor? They are in bloom all around town right now, and I can't go anywhere in the car without taking long detours just to see them all. I know they'll look like hell in a few weeks, after bloom, but gosh, so will some of my HPs! :) Call me a simpleton, but Dr. Huey was actually the rose responsible for my interest in old roses. Since childhood I loved that mysterious, arching old rose that graced so many of the older houses around here. If I could only have one, I thought... Well, when I grew up and moved back to my small hometown, I went searching on the web for that old thing. Couldn't find it anywhere. But, I found lots of other gorgeous, smelly old roses and lovely specialty nurseries and this wonderful, helpful forum. And it was here that I finally learned the identity of my first rose obsession. And nobody likes it. Why? I still don't have one (nearly acquired one a couple of weeks ago, but that's another long story...), but sometimes when I drive about town, looking at all the spectacular Dr. Hueys, I think just for a moment that maybe my grand, elaborate rose show is still not the equal of a single mature specimen of the reviled old doctor. Am I just crazy? Over-romanticizing my first rose love? Or are there others who appreciate this rose too? With humble pleas for tolerance of my heretical views, robiniaquest (or should it be Dr. Hueyquest?)
...See More
How to care for very old roses? & many other q's! Picture heavy!
Q
Comments (22)
Oldhouselover: Concerning the tree, cut it whenever you would like or find convenient. It's already growing there, it won't hurt to leave it until fall when the leaves on the roses are cleared and it's easier to reach in there. Don't sweat it or worry :). Just make sure not to forget to cut it in the fall - it must go. 4 more months of growth from the tree won't hurt the rose. Amazingly, if that is a Tree of Heaven, which I'm almost positive, that tree may be only one year old, possibly two. They grow fast. So don't forget to cut it out this fall :). I personally would not use any herbicide whatsoever on the tree of heaven. Due to your sentimental feelings for the rose and desire to keep it as healthy as possible, the risk of accidentally spilling even a little herbicide is too great. Just be vigilant and be ready to cut the little shoots the ToH will inevitably send out in the spring once you cut it down. I would move the hostas. Others here would have better knowledge on how/when to trim the rose to a more managable and visually appealing form. The hostas, though, are being overrun by the rose and if you would like to save them, move them. Even if you want to keep them in that bed, you can move them out of the way of the rose. It happens. Sometiems my stuff gets out of control so I just move it. It's hard to kill hostas. They'll be happy wherever you put them as long as it's not full sun. Most importantly, don't OVERCARE for the rose!!!!!! :). That's the biggest mistake I see most people on all of these forums make, especially people new to gardening. I've seen more isntances of people overcaring for their plant and damaging it than undercaring for a plant. Keep in mind, the rose is decades old and apparently no one cared for it too much, and it's still alive and thriving :). Ignore your impulses for fertilizer, watering everyday, and all that. It is a beautiful bush and I'm sure those on this forum will be able to help you trim it into a more managable form :).
...See More
New house, old roses-part 2. White rose ID
Q
Comments (19)
I agree that it is probably FKD. If you look at the pictures of that rose on HMF, it shows several with pink streaks on the buds, and also blooms appearing more double than 36 petals, and also clusters of blooms. In addition, there is one showing buds which look identical to those posted by allencia. Jackie
...See More
true_blue
9 years ago
Thanks Ann, lovely engravings.

Are you sure there is a blue poppy (Meconopsis)?

The only blue flower looks like Centaurea cyanus, (Bachelor's button)?
anntn6b
Original Author
9 years ago
You're right, True-Blue.
I was also wandering through other Blackwell sites and that's where I picked up the blue poppy.
Here's a link

Here is a link that might be useful: 'called a black poppy'
anntn6b
Original Author
9 years ago
If ever a woman deserved to be immortalized in a movie, Elizabeth Blackwell should be at the head of the line.

For starts read this:

Here is a link that might be useful: A Curious Herbal, the story of
true_blue
9 years ago
Thanks for the bio, courageous loyal woman.

It seems that the link you send might have been photoshopped.

Maybe the link below is closer to the reality.

Bob

Here is a link that might be useful: Papaver nigrum
Vicissitudezz
9 years ago
I would love to see her life as a movie, but also that of Maria Sibylla Merian. Both women made great contributions to art and science, and ought to be household names...

Come to think of it, Catesby's life might make a good film also- so little is known about him, there would be plenty of room for speculative 'embroidering' of the narrative...

Thanks for the link to the engravings- lovely!

Virginia
seil zone 6b MI
9 years ago
I love looking at old plates and these are truly wonderful, thanks!

I got seeds for two different kinds of blue poppies, Himalayan and Hungarian Blue poppies, this spring and tried to start them. Sadly none of the grew.. :(
mashamcl
9 years ago
Beautiful engravings, and a very interesting story behind them. One of the things that caught my attention was how her "shady character" of a husband, during his time in prison, identified the plants and "provided their names in several different languages". His story seems to fascinating, too.
anntn6b
Original Author
9 years ago
The Missouri Botanical Garden has digitized their copy of her Herbal, which is a second edition and a bit hard to read because it's printed in German Fractur, but the illustrations are there.

Here is a link that might be useful: The second edition
true_blue
9 years ago
Ann thanks for the link. That's a colossal work, she's done.

I find it sad that The Royal Society sells prints, which have been altered from the original. Even the bachelor's buttons have been altered.

Seil unless you have cool summers and a nice shady/ moist spot, it is very difficult to grow Meconopsis.

I've had a lot of success with Flanders & Turkish poppies (Papaver rhoeas & glaucum). You just direct sow them at the end of winter.

Three centuries old rose engravings

Comments (11)

ingrid_vc so. CA zone 9

mendocino_rose

Related Discussions

true_blue

anntn6b
Original Author

anntn6b
Original Author

true_blue

Vicissitudezz

seil zone 6b MI

mashamcl

anntn6b
Original Author

true_blue

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

Three centuries old rose engravings

Comments (11)

Related Discussions

anntn6bOriginal Author

anntn6bOriginal Author

anntn6bOriginal Author

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

anntn6b
Original Author

anntn6b
Original Author

anntn6b
Original Author