Roses

Richard Earlom after Dr. Robert John Thornton

Mezzotint with aquatint and stipple, printed in colors and hand-finished

National Gallery of Art

This exquisite botanical print depicts a romantic arrangement of roses with nightingales, rendered in the rich, velvety tones characteristic of 18th-century mezzotint engraving. Created for Dr. Robert John Thornton's ambitious publication 'The Temple of Flora,' this is one of the most celebrated plates in British botanical art history—and notably the only plate in the entire series that Thornton himself designed rather than commissioning another artist. Master engraver Richard Earlom, considered one of the greatest mezzotint artists of his era, translated Thornton's vision into a stunning combination of aquatint, stipple, and mezzotint techniques with hand-applied color, creating a print that transcends mere botanical illustration to become a true romantic masterpiece.