Thomas Moore, (1821-1887, British) and Henry Bradbury, (1831-1860) Lastrea Foeinisecii, from The Ferns of Great Britain and Ireland, nature printed by Henry Bradbury and Evans, Edited by John Lindley, London 1855-1856. Size is 14.5x21.5 in. Nature-printed ferns were created in Victorian England by pressing actual specimens in lead, transferring the image by electrotype to a copper plate and printing and hand-coloring each one. The process allowed the reproduction of the finest details down to the veins of the fronds. In a sense, nature itself provides the artistic detail as revealed through the nature printing medium. The original collection contained a scientific text, written by Thomas Moore, and 51 plates executed by Henry Bradbury, depicting the native ferns of Great Britain and Ireland . According to the noted botanical scholar Wilfred Blunt, this series is “the crowning achievement of nature printing†in terms of science and aesthetics.

Generally good condition, paper toned, speks of foxing.