Sir John Hill

The Family Herbal: Rag Wort, Rest Arrow, & Sun Dew or Rosa Sours (Anonis spinosa, Jacobeea & Ros solis)

An original hand-colored etching, "Rag Wort, Rest Arrow, & Rosa Sours or Sundew (Anonis spinosa, Jacobeea & Ros solis)" dates from Sir John Hill's 1812 opus, "The Family Herbal". The first edition of the book was actually published in 1754 under the title of "The Useful Family Herbal". The initial edition contained only eight plates, while the 1812 edition consisted of fifty-four hand-colored copper-plates, each depicting one to four species of plants per plate, This etching is #40 from the 1812 set and depicts three herbs, The first is the Ragwort (Jacobeea), a wild plant, very common in English pastures, and distinguished by its ragged leaves, and clusters of yellow flowers. The second herb is the prickly Restarrow (Anonis spinosa), is a small, and almost shrubby plant, common in the dry fields of England. It has short and sharp prickles about the stalks, mainly at the insertions of the leaves, and has small purple flowers at the top of the stalks. And, the third is the "Rosa Sours, or Sundew (Ros solis), a pretty little plant commonly found in boggy places such as the English heaths. its stalks are slender and bare with little white flowers, succeeded by seed-vessels, and containing a multitude of small seeds. This original engraving and etching is a fine, example of the botanical and herbal art by the British illustrator, author and botanist, Sir John Hill created for his 1812 folio, "The Family Herbal".

Original Hand-Coloured Engraving & Etching by the British illustrator, author and botanist, Sir John Hill.

The Family Herbal: Rag Wort, Rest Arrow, & Sun Dew or Rosa Sours (Anonis spinosa, Jacobeea & Ros solis)

View other original works of art by the British artist, Sir John Hill.

Sir John Hill (Peterborough, c. 1716 - London, 1775)
#	Image	Title & Artist	Medium	Date	Source	-
01-		The Family Herbal: Henbane, Good King Henry, & Honewort (Hyoscyamus, onus Henricus, & Selinum sii foliis) by Sir John Hill	Original Hand-Coloured Engraving & Etching	1812	The Family Herbal (Plate27)	Sold
02.-		The Family Herbal: Rag Wort, Rest Arrow, & Sun Dew or Rosa Sours (Anonis spinosa, Jacobeea & Ros solis) by Sir John Hill	Original Hand-Coloured Engraving & Etching	1812	The Family Herbal (Plate 40)	Sold
03.-		The Family Herbal: Water Arrowhead or Sagitta aquatica (Sagittaria sagittifolia) by Sir John Hill	Original Hand-Coloured Engraving & Etching	1812	The Family Herbal (Plate 51)	Available

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Title:	The Family Herbal: Rag Wort, Rest Arrow, & Sun Dew or Rosa Sours (Anonis spinosa, Jacobeea & Ros solis)
Artist:	Hill, Sir John (Peterborough, c. 1716 - London, 1775)
Date:	1812
Medium:	Original Hand-Coloured Engraving & Etching
Source:	The Family Herbal
Note:	Sir John Hill: A literary, artistic and scientific Jack-of-all-trades, John Hill was both the author and illustrator of most of his botanical works. When he was awarded the Swedish Order of Vasa for one of his publications, he styled himself, ‘Sir’ John Hill, although he never had a British title. To say the least, Hill’s talents were widespread, as he also penned books on acting, matrimonial conduct, theology, naval history, astronomy, entomology, architecture and cookery, as well as writing several novels and composing an opera. At one time, he complained to a companion that he was running a risk of fatigue due to the fact that he was writing seven books at the same time.
	Some of Hill’s books and articles were often personal and somewhat scurrilous in nature. He thus engendered considerable ill will and among his many detractors were such major figures as Henry Fielding, Christopher Smart and David Garrick. John Hill’s finest work is clearly in the field of botanical art and classification..
	Besides Sir John Hill's numerous literary novels, and contributions to contemporary periodicals, he also authored such books as "The Useful Family Herbal. or, an Account of all those English Plants, which are remarkable for their Virtues: And of the Drugs, which are produced by Vegetables of other Countries. With their Descriptions, and their Uses, as proved by Experience." Illustrated with Figures of the most useful English Plants, first published anonymously in (1754). The second edition was printed for W. Johnston, in St Paul's-Church-Yard, and W. Owen, in Fleet-Street near Temple-Bar (1755) contained eight etchings (not hand-coloured), each plate contained six different species. "The Useful Family Herbal" was also reprinted in 1812 under the title, "The Family Herbal, or an Account of all those English Plants, which are Remarkable for their Virtues, and of the Drugs, which are Produced by Vegetables of other Countries; with their Descriptions and Their Uses, as proved by Experience", Embellished with fifty-four coloured plates, Bungay: printed and published by C. Brightly, and also published by T. Kinnersley (1812). This original hand-coloured engraving entitled, "Rag Wort, Rest Arrow, & Sun Dew" is plate #40. it hails from Sir John Hill's 1812 folio entitled, "The Family Herbal" Other important contribution in the field of botany include, "The British Herbal: An History of Plants and Trees, Natives of Britain, Cultivated for Use, or Raised for Beauty published in fifty two parts by John Hill, M.D. printed for T. Osborne and J. Shipton, in Gray's Inn; J. Hodges, Near London Bridge; J. Newbery, in St. Paul's Church-Yard; B. Collins; And S. Croder and H. Woodcate, in Pater-noster-Row. (1756-1757) . This folio contained a frontispiece, two vignettes and seventy two coloured plates with as few as twelve species and as many as thirty, possibly more species per plate. In 1774, John Hill received the 'Royal Order of Vasa" from the King of Sweden for his opus, "Vegetable System and Exotic Botany" (1759 -1775), published in twenty six folio volumes, and containing around 1600 copper plate engravings. And, before his death in 1775, he authored, "Virtues of British Herbs", with the History, Description, and Figures, of the Several Kinds; An Account of the Diseases they will cure; The Method of giving them; and Management of the Patients in each disease., London, Printed for R. Baldwin, in Pater-noster-Row;; J. Ridley, in St. James's Street; J. Nourse, T. Becket, P. Elmsly, J. Campbell, in the Strand; and T. Davies, in Ruffel-Street, Covent-Gardens, This volume contained nine engravings with multiple plant species in each plate. (1770)
	"The Family Herbal", Plate (40) Rag Wort, Rest Arrow, & Sun Dew: A description of the these plants are included within the text of the volume, Of these John Hill wrote, "Ragwort (Jacobeea): A wild plant, very common in our pastures, and distinguished by its ragged leaves, and clusters of yellow flowers. It is two feet height. The stalk is robust, round, striated, and often purplish. The leaves are divided in an odd manner, into several parts, so that they look torn or ragged; their colour is a dark dusky green, and they grow to the stalk without any foot-stalk, and are broad and rounded at the end. The flowers ar moderately large and yellow, and to tops of the branches are so covered with them, that they often spread together to the breadth of a plate. The whole plant has a disagreeable smell. The root is fibrous, and seeds are down..." John Hill, "The Family Herbal", 1812, p. 280 * "Prickly Restarrow (Anonis spinosa): A little, tough, and almost shrubby plant, common in our dry fields, and by road sides. It is a foot high. The stalks are round, reddish, tough, and almost woody. The leaves ar numerous; they stand three on every foot stalk, and grow pretty close to the stalk. There are several short and sharp prickles about the stalks, principally at the insertions of the leaves. The leaves are of dusky green, and serrated about the edges. The flowers are small and purple: they stand among the leaves towards the tops of the stalks, and are in shape like pea blossoms, but flatted; each is followed by a small pod. The root is white, very long, tough, and woody..." John Hill, "The Family Herbal", 1812, pp. 283-284 * "Rosa Sours or Sundew (Ros solis): A very singular and very pretty little plant common in boggy places on our heaths. It grows six or seven inches high. The leaves all rise immediately from the root; they are roundish and hollow, of the breadth of a silver two-pence and placed on foot stalks of an inch long; they are covered in a avery extraordinary manner with long red hairs, and in the midst of the hottest days they have a drop of clear liquid standing on them. The stalks are slender and naked; at their tops stand little white flowers, which are succeeded by seed-vessels, of an oblong form, containing a multitude of small seeds. The root is fibrous..." John Hill, "The Family Herbal", 1812, pp. 290-291 *
Size:	6 5/8 X 4 5/8 (Sizes in inches are approximate, height preceding width of plate-mark or image.)
	Framed and Matted with 100% Archival Materials
Condition:	Printed on early 19th century wove paper and with full margins as published in 1812. This original engraving contains fine, original hand colouring and it is in excellent condition throughout. "Rest Arrow, Sun Dew and Rag Wort" represents a superb, original example of the botanical work of ‘Sir’ John Hill.
Subject:	Sir John Hill, original hand-colored etching, plate (40), "Rag Wort, Rest Arrow, & Sun Dew or Rosa Sours (Anonis spinosa, Jacobeea & Ros solis)", "The Family Herbal", "The British Herbal" flowers, botanical art, British illustrator, author and botanist.
Price:	Sold - The price is no longer available.
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