Robert John Thornton: Large Flowering Sensitive Plant (1799) Temple of Flora Print

Invite the theatrical beauty of the Romantic Era into your collection. This museum-quality Giclée reproduction features Robert John Thornton’s 1799 masterpiece, a defining plate from the legendary Temple of Flora.

In 1799, Robert John Thornton began publishing a work that would bankrupt him but immortalize his name in the annals of art. Unlike the dry, technical botanical drawings of his peers, Thornton’s Temple of Flora treated plants as heroes of their own dramatic landscapes. The Large Flowering Sensitive Plant is perhaps the most iconic plate in the series. It perfectly encapsulates the Romantic obsession with the sublime, contrasting the delicate, explosive energy of the red mimosa flowers against a vast, moody wilderness. The inclusion of hummingbirds adds a sense of fleeting, natural vitality, making this work a rare fusion of ornithology and botany that remains unparalleled in decorative power.

Thornton’s original plates were created using complex mezzotint and aquatint engraving techniques, then finished by hand with watercolor. Our archival Giclée print is digitally mastered to preserve the intense reds of the petals, the soft gradients of the distant mountains, and the fine detail of the hummingbirds' plumage. Printed on premium art paper, it ensures the grandeur and atmospheric depth of Thornton’s vision remains a breathtaking focal point in your home.

A commanding Statement Piece for a sophisticated dining room, a traditional library, or a modern space seeking a touch of historical drama. This Temple of Flora Print is an exceptional gift for gardeners, art historians, and lovers of classic English illustration.

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