Description
John Frederick Miller was a British 18th-century illustrator of botanical and zoological subjects who worked closely with the influential patron of scientific knowledge Sir Joseph Banks and had access to the zoological specimens that Banks constantly received during his 41 years as President of the Royal Society. Miller painted and etched these subjects, and probably colored the plates himself, too. Miller and his brother James were among the three artists who accompanied Banks on the first ever scientific expedition to Iceland in 1772, returning with hundreds of illustrations and specimens. Miller is also known for Cimelia Physica (London, 1796) which concentrated on ornithology but also contained important botanical illustrations, most of which were the first depictions of the species.
References:
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Sitwell, Sacheverell. Fine Bird Books, 1700-1900. New York: The Atlantic Monthly Press, 1990. p.94
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Zimmer, John Todd. Catalogue of the Edward E. Ayer Ornithological Library. Zoological Series, Publ. 239-240, Vol. 16. Chicago: Field Museum of Natural History, 1926. p.585.