Smith, Edwin Dalton (1800 - 1866)

London. Artist, miniature portraitist, flower painter.

Smith lived in Chelsea, London, and was taught by his father, an engraver and miniaturist. Smith started his career as a fruit and flower painter. He was also an engraver and portrait miniaturist. He was employed by the Royal Gardens at Kew for many years as a botanical artist and had his work published in several publications including Robert Sweet's Flora Australasica (1827-1828).

Examples of artwork:

Dryandra longifolia (now Banksia prolata)
Dryandra nervosa (now Banksia alliacea)
Orthrosanthus multiflorus

References: A.M.Coates The Treasury of Flowers (1975); L.deBray The Art of Botanical Illustration (1989); W.Blunt & W.T.Stearn The Art of Botanical Illustration 2^nd edn (1994); B.Elliott Treasures of the Royal Horticultural Society (1994); H.Hewson Australia - 300 Years of Botanical Illustration (1999)

Source: Extracted from: Wrigley, J.W. (2013) Eucalypt Flowers, National Library of Australia, Canberra.