1985: Donation of Banks’ Florilegium

1985: Donation of Banks’ Florilegium

Donated by Mr R.W.B. ReidManaging Director of Minnamurra Pty. Ltd.

Banks' Florilegium consists of 738 copperplate engravings of plant specimens collected on Captain James Cook's first voyage around the world in H.M.S. Endeavour (1768-1771).

The specimens were gathered and classified by Joseph Banks and Dr Daniel Solander. Sydney Parkinson was the expedition's artist. He drew the specimens on the Endeavour as well as making notes on the colours. He later transformed some of the drawings into watercolours.

Using Parkinson's remaining drawings and notes, Banks oversaw 5 artists who completed the task of creating the watercolours. Between 1771 and 1784 Banks employed 18 engravers to create copperplate engravings from the completed watercolours. Banks spoke of publishing the Florilegium but was too busy to do so as he was the President of the Royal Society, the King's adviser on the Kew Gardens and an energetic contributor to scientific endeavour.

Publication of the Florilegium

Between 1980 and 1990, Alecto Historical Editions in association with the British Museum (Natural History) published the first edition from the original Florilegium copperplates in 34 parts. Only 100 sets were made available for sale.The publication of the Florilegium was a complex project in which a seventeenth-century technique was used to work each colour directly into the plate. As many as 15 colours had to be applied in this fashion. The plates had to be cleaned and the surface chromed for protection before printing. Colour accuracy was achieved by reference to Parkinson's notes and by consulting with the British Museum's botanist. It took from a week to two months to achieve a perfect proof for each print.

The Florilegium Donation

In 1985, Mr R.W.B. Reid, Managing Director of Minnamurra Pty. Ltd., donated a set of Banks' Florilegium to be shared between The Australian National University and Uppsala University, Sweden.Mr Reid considered the role played by Swedish-born botanist Carl Solander on Cook's voyage to be the first historical link between the two countries. As his company was involved in Swedish/Australian trade, Mr Reid hoped his generous gift would not only further that historical connection, but also "establish firm ties between two outstanding Universities".Parts 1 to 15 of the Florilegium, which consists of 227 plates relating to Australian flora, and parts 16 to 34, which include flora collected by Banks and Solander in other countries, are rotated between The Australian National University Library and the Uppsala University Library every 5 years, with the generous assistance of Mr Reid.

Selected prints have been mounted and are on display in the Hancock Library and other centres across the University.