The Superb Lily

This lily, its petals rising upward in the shape of a pyramid, is set against its native background, the American wilderness. This work appeared in the English book The Temple of Flora. Richard Earlom used a variety of intaglio techniques in this print. The stipple engraving, however, was particularly well-suited to the reproduction of botanical detail. This technique involves engraving a copper plate with a dense grid of dots. When printed, it produces delicate gradations of color.