ABOUT THE PUBLICATION / EDITOR / ARTIST

Edward Joseph LOWE (1825–1900)

As the nineteenth century progressed, so did the art of the botanical illustration. A trend in collecting single groups or families of plants spurred the development of the illustrated monograph. Particular types of plants went through periods of popularity, and artists tried to keep up with those trends. There were monographs on tulips, roses, geraniums, and even heaths. Orchidomania reached its peak from about 1830 to 1850; it was succeeded by Fernmania, which lasted until the end of the century.

Edward Joseph Lowe’s  eight-volume Ferns: British and Exotic was a direct result of Fernmania. His fascination with ferns led him to study and paint them throughout the entire second half of the nineteenth century. The first volume of Ferns: British and Exotic was published in 1856 (republished in 1872). His career culminated in 1895 with Fern Growing; Fifty Years Experience in Crossing and Cultivation. They were designed and drawn by A.F.Lydon and printed with engraved woodblocks by Benjamin Fawcett.

There were a number of New Zealand ferns included in the volumes.