Lilian Snelling

Lilian Snelling (1879-1972) was the principal artist for William Curtis’s Botanical Magazine for 30 years, and contributed over 830 illustrations before her retirement in 1952 (she was succeeded by Margaret Stones). Until 1948, Snelling was one of the last botanical artists who worked in the 19th century tradition of drawing her original watercolors onto zinc plates for publication. She then hand-painted a master print for a team of professional colorists to copy.

Snelling also produced drawings for one volume of the rare Supplement to Elwes’ Monograph on the Genus Lilium, and illustrated F.C. Stern’s A Study of the Genus Pæonia (Royal Horticultural Society, London, 1946). Snelling maintained high standards of quality throughout her huge volume of work, which included over 400 watercolors she painted of rhododendrons and primulas at the Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh between 1918-21. "This was the first exhibition of these drawings, by an artist considered to be ‘the greatest botanical artist of her time.’" — RBG, Edinburgh