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2025 |
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Book Illustration, New Illustration of the Sexual System of Carolus von Linnaeus . . . , vol. 2; The Winged Passion Flower, or, Pasiflora Alata
This is a book illustration. It was written by Robert John Thornton. It is dated 1807. Its medium is engraving and aquatint on paper. It is a part of the Smithsonian Libraries department.
During the Victorian era the passion flower was very popular, perhaps because of its rarity and fleeting beauty—in some varieties, the flowers only blossom for one day. Many hybrids were created by cross-pollenating, such as the Winged-stem Passion Flower, shown here. The "Passion" in "passion flower" refers to the passion of Jesus and his crucifixion in Christian theology. The various flower parts were seen as symbols of the last days of Jesus. This illustration comes from the Temple of Flora, the final part of Robert John Thornton’s New illustration of the sexual system of Carolus von Linnaeus, considered by many to be the greatest of all flower books. It consists of a series of sumptuous depictions of flowers notable for their epic and unusual settings. Interwoven amongst the images are various descriptions, histories, and poetic odes relating to the flowers depicted.
It is credited Collection of Smithsonian Institution Libraries.
Its dimensions are
H x W: 59 × 47 cm (23 1/4 × 18 1/2 in.)
