"Robert John THORNTON - Temple of Flora or Garden of the Botanist, Poet, Painter and Philosopher Published by Dr. Thornton, London [Londres], 1812 - A magnificent copy of one of the most beautiful botanical books ever published, undoubtedly the most spectacular of its time, and its author's undisputed masterpiece. The work did not save its author from ruin, despite the lottery organized to remedy the situation. The illustration set includes an allegorical frontispiece engraved by Tomkins, 2 black & white engravings by Russell and Opie after Maddocks, and Reinagle after Bartolozzi and Landseer, 28 hand-colored aquatints by Pether, Thornton, Edwards, Reinagle & Henderson, after drawings by Dunkarten, Roffe, Gaugain, Quilley, Maddox, Burk, Maddan and Stadler. Complete with 31 plates, the aquatints include the roses, executed by the author himself with brio, and certainly among the most beautiful plates in the book. Each plate is accompanied by poetic excerpts in verse recounting the virtues and legends associated with each flower specimen presented: a true literary, botanical and artistic gem. Bound in strictly contemporary full calf, double framed in gilt fillets on the boards, accompanied by a frame of gilt lace, 5-ribbed spine decorated with gilt and cold motifs, title, place and date in gilt lettering, attractive gilt arabesque lace on the edges, some light rubbing to the jaws, minor blemishes to the corners, excellent overall condition nonetheless for this binding. Particularly fresh interior, almost totally free of foxing, sublimely printed on fine vellum paper. Large in-4, unpaginated (156pp). "" THE MOST SUMPTUOUS FLORILEGIUM OF ALL TIMES"" (Great Flower Books p.42) "" ... the most strikingly beautiful set of flower plates ever to be printed in England, one of the loveliest books in the world "" (Alan Thomas - Great Books and Book Collectors pp.142-4) Provenance: Library of Mr. Alexandre Christian Becker, Danish collector, with his bookplate".