James Sowerby

James Sowerby (* March 21, 1757 in London, † October 25, 1822 in Lambeth, London ) was a British naturalist, zoologist and painter. Its official botanical author abbreviation is " Sowerby ".

Life and work

Sowerby was the son of the engraver John Sowerby and his wife Arabella Good Reed. In 1771 he came at the age of 14 years as an apprentice in the studio of the marine painter Richard Wright. As this after recently suffered a stroke, Sowerby moved to William Hodges.

To December 1, 1777 Sowerby began at the Royal Academy of Arts in London to study art with an emphasis on miniature painting. It is these skills fell to William Curtis, who hired him immediately as an illustrator for its flora Londonensis. By working with Curtis Sowerby also made the acquaintance of the botanist Charles Louis L' Héritier de Brut Elle and William Withering, for which he also later worked. Through his fellow students Robert de Carle Sowerby in Norwich came into contact with scientists such as James Edward Smith and Dawson Turner. From this meeting the English Botany, which is known as " Sowerby's Botany " today was built in the years 1790-1814.

On February 7, 1786 Sowerby married the sister of his fellow students de Carle, Anne de Carle. With her he had nine children, including James de Carle Sowerby and George Brettingham Sowerby. Both led after the death Sowerby continued his work. Through his artistic work Sowerby in 1793 appointed by the Linnean Society of London "Fellow " and already recorded five years later as a full member. During these years, Sowerby befriended with the scientist Joseph Banks.

Sowerby's wife died in September 1815. In December 1820, he married Mary Catherine Reynolds, the Admiral Reynolds widow. On October 25, James Sowerby, died after a long illness at the age of 65 years at home in Lambeth, London.

Honors

In honor of James Sowerby the plant genus of the family Sowerbaea asparagus plants ( Asparagaceae ) and the Sowerby 's beaked whale ( Mesoplodon bidens ) from the family of beaked whales ( Ziphiidae ) was named.

Writings (selection )

• Flora luxurians. From 1789 to 1791.
• A Botanical Drawing Book .... 1789, 2nd edition 1791.
• Coloured figures of English fungi or mushrooms. Davis, London 1797-1815 (Volume 1-4).
• The British miscellany, or, Coloured figures of new, rare, or little known animal subjects. London 1806 doi: 10.5962/bhl.title.41623
• English botany or colored figures of British plants. White, London 1863-1872 (Vol. 1-11).
• Mineral conchology. Meredith, London 1841 (online).