Franz Bauer was born in Austria in 1758, but lived and worked for 50 years at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, where he was employed by Sir Joseph Banks as resident draughtsman. A contemporary of Redoute, he is considered by many experts to be the greatest of all botanical artists. This book contains almost all Bauer's completed orchid paintings, including many enlargements of flowers. Each photograph is presented with a commentary by Joyce Stewart on the history and cultivation of the plant and a biography of Franz Bauer is included by William T. Stearn.