Edward Bawden's Kew Gardens

by Peyton Skipworth, Brian Webb

Based on Edward Bawden’s evocative period illustrations, posters, and linocuts, this charming book brings to life Kew Gardens, the 300-acre site just outside London that encompasses a world-renowned botanical garden, Kew Palace, and much more, all open to the public. Offering a lighthearted social history of Kew, peopled with the many royals who lived at or visited Kew, this is a colorful portrait of a time gone by. Embellished with contemporary caricatures by famed artists Rowlandson and Gillray, as well as early botanical illustrations by Franz Bauer and others, the book also features previously unseen material from Bawden’s personal scrapbooks and an unpublished guidebook to Kew drawn by a 19-year-old Bawden while he was a student at the Royal College of Art.

Genres: Art, History

128 pages, Hardcover

First published April 8, 2014

Reviews

[Peter · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's hard to be critical on any books about Edward Bawden, his artwork is superb and that's what they are bought for. As for the writin; while interesting they get in the way of the artwork.

[Babs · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pure joy to read this book covering some of Kew's history. The early advertising posters and Adam & Evelyn at Kew illustrations were delightful.

[Elisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting trove of out of the way info. Illustrations and design of book are quite fun.