> [!cite] BHL link: this entry starts at [page 759](https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/33333898) of TL-2 Vol. V > Author links: [IPNI](https://www.ipni.org/a/27043-1) LSID 27043-1, [Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1235813) QID Q1235813 > Support pages: [[Abbreviations|abbreviations]], [[Layout key|layout key]], [[Cite TL-2|cite TL-2]] ### Author Sowerby, James (1757-1822), British botanical artist; trained at the Royal Academy Schools; illustrated many of the British botanical publications from 1777-1822; collaborator of e.g. William Curtis and James Edward Smith. **Abbreviated name**: *Sowerby* \[standard form in IPNI: *Sowerby*\] #### Herbarium and types [[Collection BM|BM]], [[Collection E|E]], [[Collection LINN|LINN]], [[Collection LIV|LIV]]. – [[Collection BM|BM]] has also some models of fungi, manuscripts, letters and drawings (see e.g. J.B. Macdonald 1974); further drawings e.g. at [[Collection K|K]]. – See W.G. Smith (1905) for a description of Sowerby's drawings of fungi. – *Letters* at [[Collection G|G]]. #### Bibliography and biography Ainsworth p. 8, 56, 91-92, 273, 312; Backer p. 540; Barnhart 3: 305 (b. 21 Mar 1757, d. 25 Oct 1822); BB p. 284; BL 2: 224, 719; Blunt p. 190-192, 217, 234, 244; BM 5: 1981-1982, 8: 1226-1227; CSP 5: 765; Dawson p. 777; Desmond p. 575; DNB 53: 305-307 (18: 713-715); Dryander 3: 24, 225, 257; DSB 12: 552; DU 290-291; Frank 3 (Anh.): 98; GF p. 76; GR p. 381, cat. p. 72; Hawksworth p. 186, 198; Henrey 2: \[index\], 3: 1363-1372; Herder p. 171, 205, 245; Hortus 3: 1204; Jackson p. 233, 235, 244; Kelly p. 217; LS 25511-25512, 27462; NI 1873-1875, see indexes; Plesch p. 412-413; PR 8786-8798 (Sowerby s.l.), 1857, 2224, 4448-4450, 5625, 8738, ed. 1: 2560, 6283, 9711, 9715, 9766-9768; Rehder 5: 814; SBC p. 132; Sotheby 712-714; Stevenson p. 1258; TL-1/see index; TL-2/72, 1286, 1442, 4215, 4494, 4522; Tucker 1: 661; Zander ed. 10, p. 719, ed. 11, p. 820-821. #### Biofile - Allibone, S.A., Crit. dict. Engl. lit. 2: 2188-2189. 1878. - Anon., Brit. Mus. gen. cat. print. books 226: 633-635. 1964; Bull. misc. Inf. Kew 1933: 2-3. 1933 (some Sowerby drawings in the Tankerville collection of drawings). - Bridson, G.D.R. et al., Nat. hist. mss. res. Bit. Isl. 438 \[index\]. 1980. - Cleevely, R.J., J. Soc. Bibl. nat. Hist. 6(6): 484-492. 1974 (main bibl.). - Collins, J., A note on the history of the Sowerby family archive; together with a short title catalogue of natural history works written or illustrated by members of the family. London (J.C. Seaton & Co.) 1973, i, 22 p., chart; A preliminary checklist of natural history works written or illustrated, wholly or in part by members of the Sowerby family, London, s.d., 3 p. - Crombie, J.M., J. Bot. 10: 231-235, 356-360. 1872 (notes on the lichens in Sowerby's herbarium), Grevillea 1: 158. 1873 (id.). - Dawson, W.R., The Smith papers 87-88. 1934 (letters to J.E. Smith). - Fletcher, H.R., Story R. Hort. Soc. 26, 57, 177. 1969. - Garry, F.N.A., J. Bot. 41, Supplement 1-32, 33-120, 121-276. 1903 (notes on the drawings for Sowerby's English Botany. - Hawksworth, D.L. & M.R.D. Seward, Lichenol. Brit. Isl. 153, 199. 1977 (lichens at BM, E, LINN). - Kent, D.H. & D.E. Allen, Brit. Irish herb. 248. 1984. - Killermann, S., Z. Pilzk. 13(7): 105-108. 1929. - Klotzsch, J.F., Linnaea 7(2): 193-204, *pl. 8-10.* 1832 (mycological notes on Sowerby's herbarium). - Laplanche, M.C. de, Dict. iconogr. champ. sup. 1894 (concordance hymenomycetes depicted by S. with those in other works; TL-2/4215. - MacDonald, J.B., J. Soc. Bibl. nat. Hist. 6(6): 380-401. 1974 (Sowerby collection in BM(NH)). - Milner, J.D., Cat. portr. Kew 98. 1906. - Murray, G., Hist. coll. BM (NH) 1: 184. 1904 (herbarium, models of fungi at BM(NH). - Nissen, C., Philobiblon 6: 344. 1933; Zool. Buchill. 389. 1969. - Palmer, K. van Winkle, Sterkiana 23: 1-6. 1966 ("who were the Sowerby's?"). - Poggendorff, J.C., Biogr.-lit. Handw.-Buch 2: 965-966. 1863. - Rix, M., The art of the botanist 223 \[index\]. 1981. - Simpkins, D.M., J. Soc. Bibl. nat. Hist. 6(6): 402-415. 1974 (biographical sketch of James S., written by his son, James de Carle Sowerby, 1825), id. 416-417. 1974 (child reminiscences of James S.). - Smith, W.G., J. Bot. 43: 156-160, 180-186, 209-215, 239-243, 258-267, 319-322. 1905 (description of Sowerby's drawings of fungi in BM(NH)); Guide to Sowerby's models of British fungi, London 1893, 1898, 1908. - Stafleu, F.A., *in* CL. L'Héritier, Sertum angl. facs. ed. 1963, p. xxxii, lxi, lxiii, *in* J. MacPhail, ed., Catalogue redouteana 4, 8. 1963 (see also p. 35, 37). - Wheeler, A., ed., Papers on the Sowerby family, J. Soc. Bibl. nat. Hist. 6(6): 377. 559. 1974 (portraits, genealogical chart, introduction to this "Sowerby number"). - White, J.W., Flora of Bristol 73-76. 1872 (on his English Botany). - Woodward, B.B., Hist. coll. BM(NH) 1: 28, 50-51. 1904 (drawings mss. at BM(NH)). - Zittel, K.A. von, Gesch. Geol. Paläont. 187, 585, 664, 684, 692, 816. 1899; Hist. geol. palaeontol. 48, 131, 132, 434. 1901. #### Composite works The following list of botanical works to which James Sowerby contributed illustrations is mainly based on Cleevely (1974). – See also Collins (1973, p. 11-15). - (1) Lightfoot, J., *Fl. scot.* 1777, ed. 2. 1789, reissue 1792. TL-2/4522. – A few plates by J.S. (e.g. *30-32, 34*). - (2) Curtis, W., *Linn. Syst. bot.* 1777, TL-2/1287. *3 pl*. signed by J.S. - (3) Curtis, W., *Fl. lond.* 1775-1798 and further eds., TL-2/1286. *51 pl*. by J.S. see Cleevely. - (4) L'Héritier de Brutelle, C.L., *Stirp nov*. 1785-1791, TL-2/4484, *pl. 42* by J.S. - (5) Whithering, W., *An account of the foxglove*,... 1785. For a discussion of S.'s possible contribution to this paper see Stevenson, Hunt. Cat. 2(2): 453 (no. 676), and Cleevely. - (6) Relhan, R., *Fl. cantabr.* 1785, TL-2/8973, the 7 plates were engraved by S. after drawings by James Bolton. - (7) Dickson, J., *Fasc. pl. crypt. Brit.*, 1785-1801, TL-2/1442; all plates by S., original drawings at BM(NH). - (8) L'Héritier de Brutelle, C.L., *Geraniologia* 1787-1792, TL-2/4494; *6 plates* by S. - (9) Curtis, W., *Bot. mag.*, TL-2/1290; see Cleevely for a list of plates by S. - (10) Driver, A. & W., *The pomona britanica* 1788, *8 pl*. by S.; Collins (1973: 6) suggests that the text may also be by S.; Cleevely, however, is "unwilling to believe that he was responsible". - (11) L'Héritier de Brutelle, C.L., *Sert. angl.* 1789-1791, TL-2/4492; *pl. 1, 3-7, 9, 22, 26, 29* by S; see W. Blunt, in *Sert. angl.* facs. éd. 1963, p. lxi-lxvi. - (12) Aiton, W., *Hort. kew.* 1789, éd. 2, 1810-1813. TL-2/72-73. *pl. 1, 2, 12* by S., originals at BM(NH). - (13) Smith, J.E., *PL icon. in ed.* 1790-1791. TL-2/12.220 *2 pl*. by S. - (14) Smith, J.E., *Icon. pict. pl. rar.* 1790-1792. TL-2/12.222. All *18 pl*. by S. - (15) Woodville, W., *Medical botany*. 1790-1793. All (*274*) *pl*. by S. - (16) Smith, J.E. & J. Sowerby, *English botany*. – See under J.E. Smith, see also Garry (1905). - (17) Salisbury, R.A., *Icon. stirp. rar.* 1791, TL-2/10.118, all (*20*) *pl*. by S. - (18) Smith, J.E., *Spicil. bot.* 1792, TL-2/12.223, all (*24*) *pl*. by S. - (19) Smith, J.F., *Spec. bot. New Holland* 1793-1795, TL-2/12.229, *16 pl*. by S. - (20) Fraser, J., *Thalia* (*?*) *dealbata*. Discovered growing in a lake, in North America in 1790, *1 pl*. by S., see also J. Bot. 43: 329-331. 1905. - (21) Thornton, R.J., New illustration of the sexual system of C. von Linnaeus, 1799. – *pl. 86* by S. - (22) Lambert, A.B., *Descr. Pinus* 1803-1825, TL-2/4146, *4 pl*. by S. in vol. 1, 6 in vol. 2. - (23) Smith, J.E. & J. Sowerby, *Exot. bot.* 1804-1805 \[1808\], TL-2/12.244, *120 pl*. by S. - (24) Sibthorp, J. and J.E. Smith, *Fl. graec.* TL-2/11.935, all plates engraved by James Sowerby and other members of the family (orig. drawings: Fe. Bauer). - (25) Smith, J.E., *Intr. physiol. syst. bot.* 1807, TL-2/12.249, *15 pl*. by S. - (26) Keith, Patrick, *A system of physiological botany*, London (Baldwin, Cradock & Joy) 1816, x, 478 and iii, 526 p., *9 pl*. by S. - (27) Graves, George, *A monograph of the British grasses*, London 1822-1833, v, \[71\] p., *48 col. pl.*, possibly copied after Fl. lond. originals. #### Handwriting J. Soc. Bibl. nat. Hist. 6(6): 390, 391. 1974. #### Note For the most recent and complete list of natural history works in which James Sowerby (and other members of the family) was involved see R.J. Cleevely, *A provisional bibliography of natural history works of the Sowerby family*, J. Soc. Bibl. nat. Hist. 6(6): 482-559 (James Sowerby p. 484-492). 1974. For further details see this publication and its list of works on, or relating to the Sowerbys as well as the general list of references on p. 549-553. #### Eponymy *Sowerbaea* J.E. Smith (1798); *Sowerbyella* Nannfeldt (1938). ### Publications ##### n.12.487. A botanical drawing-book **Title** \[*A botanical drawing-book*: *or*,\] An easy introduction to drawing flowers according to nature... London (printed by Richard Taylor) 1789. Obl. Qu. **Abbreviated title**: *Bot. draw.*-*book*. **Notes** *Ed*. \[*1*\]: 1 Nov 1788 (date on plates), t.p., *6 pl*. 12 p. text. *Copies*: BM-Bloomsbury, HH. – Cover: "A botanical drawing-book". – See DU 290. *Ed. 2*: 1 Aug 1807, t.p., *pl. 1-10* with text (*pl. 1-6* dated 1 Nov 1788, *pl. 7-8*, 1 Aug 1807, \[i-ii\]. – *Copies*: BM, MICH. – London (Printed by Richard Taylor & Co., Shoelane ...) s.d. *German*: 1794, Botanisches Zeichnenbuch mit Kupfern, Weimar 1794 (n.v.). ##### n.12.488. Flora luxurians **Title** *Flora luxurians*; or the florist's delight. No. 1-3. †. \[London\], \[1789-\] 1790-1791. **Abbreviated title**: *Fl. lux.* **Notes** *Publ*.: 3 parts, 1789, 1790, 1791, *18 pl*. with 16 p. descriptive letterpress, n.v., see He 2, no. 711, for further details. ##### n.12.489. Account of the difference of structure in the flowers of six species of Passiflora **Title** V. *Account of the difference of structure in the flowers of six species of Passiflora*... \[Trans. Linn. Soc. 2: 19-28. 1794\]. Qu. **Notes** *Publ*.: 1 Mai 1794, Trans. Linn. Soc. 2: 19-28. 1 Mai 1794. ##### n.12.490. Coloured figures of English fungi **Title** *Coloured figures of English fungi* or mushrooms,... London (printed by J. Davis; and sold by the author,...) \[1795-\] 1796-1803, \[-1815\]. Qu. **Abbreviated title**: *Col. fig. Engl. fung.* **Notes** *1*: 1795-1797 (*pl. 1-22* "1795", *25-61* "1796", *62-120* "1797"), p. \[1-54\], *pl. 1-120* (col. copp. auct.), \[1-2, index\]. *2*: 1798-1799 (plates dated from 1 Jan 1798-1 Sep 1799), p. \[1-50\], *pl. 121-240*, \[1-2, index\]. *3*: 1800-1803 (plates dated from 1 Jan 1800-1 Jul 1803), p. \[1-86\], *pl. 241-400*, \[1-5, index\]. *Copies*: B, FH, G, LC, MICH, MO, Stevenson, TCD, Teyler, Univ. Illinois, USDA. – For notes on the original drawings see W.G. Smith (1905). – The plates are coloured by hand; some were printed in a colour other than black. See also J. Collins in Sotheby 712-713. Details on dates given in table on p. 762. |vol. |part |*plates* |dates| |--- |--- |--- |--- | |1 |1 |1-5 |Jan 1796| | |2 |6-10 |Feb 1796| | |3 |11-15 |Man 796| | |4 |16-20 |Apr 1796| | |5 |21-25 |Mai 1796| | |6 |26-30 |Jun 1796| | |7 |31-35 |Jul 1796| | |8 |36-40 |Aug 1796| | |9 |41-60 |Sep 1796| | |10 |61-80 |Jan 1797| | |11 |81-100 |Mai 1797| | |12 |101-120 |Sep 1797| |2 |13 |121-140 |Jan 1798| | |14 |141-160 |Mai 1798| | |15 |161-180 |Sep 1798| | |16 |181-200 |Jan 1799| | |17 |201-220 |Mai 1799| | |18 |221-240 |Sep 1799| |3 |19 |241-260 |Jan 1800| | |20 |261-280 |Mai 1800| | |21 |281-300 |Sep 1800| | |22 |301-320 |1 Mai 1801| | |23 |321-340 |Sep 1801| | |24 |341-360 |Jan 1802| | |25 |361-374 |1 Sep 1802| | |26 |375-378 |1 Jan 1803| | |27 |379-400 |1 Jul 1803| |Suppl. |28 |401-406 |1 Feb 1809| | |29 |407-412 |1 Apr 1809| | |30 |413-423(438) |1 Nov 1814| | |31 |424-429 |1 Dec 1814| | |32 |430-440 |1 Jan 1815| *Supplement*: 1809-1815, \[24\] p., *pl. 401-419, 420/438* (combined), *421, 422/423, 424, 425/427* (combined), *426, 428-437, 439/440. Copies*: BM, Univ. Illinois (see above). – Not finished, no t.p. issued. *Ref*.: Laplanche, M.C. de, Dictionnaire iconographique des champignons 1894. - Killerman, S., Zeitschr. Pilzkunde ser. 2. 8: 102-108. 1929. - Ramsbottom, J., Trans. Brit. mycol. Soc. 18: 167-170. 1933. ##### n.12.491. Catalogue of some of the more rare plants observed in a tour through the western counties of England **Title** XXIV. *Catalogue of some of the more rare plants observed in a tour through the western counties of England*, made in June 1799, by Dawson Turner,... and... James Sowerby, ... \[Trans. Linn. Soc. 5: 234-241. 1800\]. Qu. **Notes** *Co-author*: Dawson Turner (1775-1858). *Publ*.: 20-22 Feb 1800, Trans. Linn. Soc. 5: 234-241.