About the artist
In the early 19th century, botanical artist William Hooker (1779-1832) trained under Franz Bauer and embarked on a significant project commissioned by the Horticultural Society, now known as RHS. Tasked with painting detailed portraits of fruits, he captured everything from the leaf and stem to the pip, bud, and blossom using a stipple effect to depict the texture. This project continued from 1815 to 1823 and resulted in over 200 beautiful paintings, many of which featured specimens provided by society members. These artworks, including pieces by other artists, were compiled into albums known as 'Hooker's Fruit Drawings'. Sadly, several of the fruit varieties illustrated no longer exist. The original works reside in the RHS Lindley Library in London. Hooker also contributed to 'Oriental Memoirs' by James Forbes and 'The Paradisus Londinensis' with descriptions Richard Anthony Salisbury. He provided artwork for "Hooker's Finest Fruits" up until he died in 1832.
