To behold a print from Florilegium is to witness history. In 1768, the H.M.S. Endeavour set sail across the Pacific with Captain Cook and botanist Joseph Banks, on a mission to explore and document the natural world.

Banks first encountered Syzygium Suborbiculare (Bentham) Eugenia Cymosa on Lizard Island, Australia, in August 1770. This species, with its broad, round leaves, forms large coastal trees in Queensland, the Northern Territory, and New Guinea. Its fruit was widely consumed by Indigenous Australians, who also used the trunks for canoe-making. Today, it is known as the white apple or lady apple tree.

Originally completed under Banks patronage, this engraving was never published and it was considered a major loss until 1980. That year, the British Museum of Natural History revived Banks work using his original 18th-century copper plates and the A la poupee technique. Art & Collectors is proud to offer this stunning engraving by Gerald Sibelius, based on drawings by Sydney Parkinson (1770) and Frederick Polydore Nodder (1777), printed directly from the original plates.

The Florilegium offers more than a botanical record. It is a rare connection to history, art, and nature. With no future reprints expected, this limited-edition engraving is a unique link between early exploration and contemporary Australasia, destined to be cherished for generations.

Joseph BANKS (1743 - 1820)
'Florilegium Syzygium Suborbiculare (Bentham) Eugenia Cymosa- Plate 125' 1770
colour engraving and etching (a  la poupee) with hand-colouring
Edition of 100
Image Size: 46 x 30 cm (plate size)
Dimensions: 86 x 70 x 5 cm
Signed: Embossed lower right, edition and numbered in pencil
Comes with Letter of Provenance
This print is also illustrated as Plate 139 on page 281 of Joseph Banks Florilegium: Botanical Treasures from Cooks First Voyage, published by Thames & Hudson Ltd
Condition: Very good
(c) The Artist or Assignee