William Curtis

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William Curtis
Portrait from Curtis's Botanical Magazine
Born	January 11, 1746 Alton, Hampshire
Died	July 7, 1799
Nationality	English
Fields	Botany and Entomology
Known for	Publications
Author abbreviation (botany)	Curtis

William Curtis (January 11, 1746 – July 7, 1799) was an English botanist and entomologist, who was born at Alton, Hampshire.

Curtis began as an apothecary, before turning his attention to botany and other natural history. The publications he prepared effectively reached a wider audience than early works on the subject had intended. ^[1] At the age of 25 he produced Instructions for collecting and preserving insects; particularly moths and butterflies.^[2]

Curtis was demonstrator of plants and Praefectus Horti at the Chelsea Physic Garden from 1771 to 1777. He established his own London Botanic Garden at Lambeth in 1779, moving to Brompton in 1789. He published Flora Londinensis (6 volumes, 1777–1798), a pioneering work in that it devoted itself to urban nature. Financial success was not found, but he went on the publish The Botanical Magazine in 1787, a work that would also feature hand coloured plates by artists such as James Sowerby, Sydenham Edwards, and William Kilburn.

Curtis was to gain wealth from the ventures into publishing, short sales on Londinensis were offset by over 3,000 copies of the magazine. Curtis said they had each brought 'pudding or praise'.

The genus Curtisia is named in his honour. His publication was continued as the esteemed botanical publication, Curtis's Botanical Magazine. The noted natural history illustrators, James Sowerby and Sydenham Edwards both found a start with the eminent magazine.

The standard botanical author abbreviation Curtis is applied to plants described by this botanist, who should also appear on this list.

[edit] References

Scolopendrium vulgare, from William Curtis's Flora Londinensis

Iris sambucina, from William Curtis' Botanical Magazine

^ William Curtis. Herbals and insects. University of Massachusetts. Retrieved on 2007-09-01. “The scope of natural history changed dramatically in 18th century England under the influence of published works directed at amateurs.”
^ Instructions for collecting and preserving insects; particularly moths and butterflies. Illustrated with a copper-plate, on which the nets, and other apparatus necessary for that purpose are delineated… London: Printed by the author, and sold by George Pearch, 1771. iv, 90 p. fold. plate, 22 cm

Hugh Cahill (2006-05-10). Case 3: William Curtis and The Botanical Magazine. Nature observed: The work of the botanical artist. King's College London. Retrieved on 2007-07-30. “Flora Londinensis is one of the most beautiful and important botanical publications of the eighteenth century.”