Botanical Illustration by James Sowerby

James Sowerby (1757-1822) created watercolours to illustrate his 36-volume work on the botany of England. Prior to this major project he had collaborated with botanist William Curtis – who had established a botanical garden in Lambeth-providing illustrations for his Flora Londinensis (1777) and the Botanical Magazine (first published in 1787).

This illustration shows Androsace villosa, commonly known as Shaggy Rock Jasmine, which is native to the mountainous areas of Europe and Asia