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In 1889 Sarah Featon and her husband Edward Featon published The Art Album of New Zealand Flora, in which they sought to dispute the ‘mistaken notion that New Zealand is peculiarly destitute of native flowers’. While the title emphasises the artistic nature of their enterprise, in the preface they describe the choice they made between selecting a handful of the ‘best and most showy representatives of indigenous flowers’ and publishing them in a ‘haphazard manner, with just a soupcon of descriptive matter to serve as a garnish’ or to ‘accept the responsibility of putting forth a publication of a popular character based on scientific and systematic principles’. They chose the latter path, ensuring that the album had both popular appeal while being firmly grounded in solid science. This was achieved both through Sarah’s illustrations and Edward’s lively text. Based in Gisborne, Sarah’s drawings were made from specimens sourced far and wide (many of which were collected by women who were acknowledged in the final text). Their project was supported by prominent early settler and expert on botany, William Colenso as well as Thomas Kirk. The accompanying text drew on Hooker’s Flora for the botanical classification, accentuated by Edward’s enthusiastic and occasionally verbose information about potential uses of the plant (or its wood) as well as indigenous knowledge. For example, in the description of the Pohutukawa, he writes ‘the juice of the inner bark is said to possess a medicinal virtue, and the Maoris are accustomed to use it to allay inflammation’. The general nature of the Art Album appealed to reviewers and the public alike, and the publication was deemed likely to be a ‘most valuable acquisition to any art collection, library, or drawing room’. It was praised as a ‘great colonial work of art’. One reviewer expressed ‘surprise that such an artistic, correct, and beautiful work should have been wholly produced in New Zealand’. Indeed, it was so prized that a copy, enclosed in a casket of New Zealand wood, was gifted to Queen Victoria for her Diamond Jubilee in 1897. The Featons collaborated with the Wellington firm Bock & Cousins to publish the first fully coloured art book in New Zealand, using the relatively new medium of chromolithography, which almost bankrupted the firm. The transition from watercolour to colour lithograph involved compromise, and the result in many of Featon’s works is an occasionally garish rendering of her exquisite watercolours. 134 of Sarah Featon’s original watercolours for the Art Album of New Zealand Flora were purchased for the Dominion Museum in 1919. At that time, Featon was widowed and desperately short of funds. The £150 she was eventually reimbursed for her collection likely only went a short way to ease the future finances of her family. The Art Album comprised 40 colour plates, including a magnificent frontispiece. An intended second volume was never published. Dr Rebecca Rice, March 2019 References: Edward and Sarah Featon, Art Album of New Zealand Flora, Wellington: Bock and Cousins, 1888. Bee Dawson, Lady painters: the flower painters of early New Zealand, Auckland: Penguin Books, 1999. Newspaper reviews: ‘Art Album of New Zealand Flora’, Otago Daily Times, supplement, 18 February 1890, p. 2. New Zealand Times, 7 December 1887, p. 4 ‘Art album of New Zealand flora’, The Observer, 18 May 1889, p. 4.

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Artist Biography

A Journey of Discovery and Botanical Wonder

Born into the refined atmosphere of London around 1848, Sarah Ann Porter’s life underwent a profound transformation when she crossed oceans to reach the rugged landscapes of New Zealand. Alongside her husband, Edward Featon, who served as the District Land Officer in Gisborne, Sarah transitioned from the familiar comforts of English society to the vibrant, untamed beauty of a colonial frontier. This relocation was more than a mere change of scenery; it was an awakening of the artistic spirit. As she settled into the life of a pioneer, her eyes were drawn to the extraordinary flora that flourished in her new home—a botanical world far removed from the manicured gardens of her youth.

The Art Album: A Collaborative Masterpiece

The pinnacle of Featon’s creative life arrived in 1889 with the publication of The Art Album of New Zealand Flora. This was not merely a collection of drawings, but a monumental collaborative triumph between Sarah and Edward. While her husband provided the lively, descriptive text, Sarah breathed life into the pages through her meticulous watercolors. Together, they sought to dismantle the prevailing myth that New Zealand was a land devoid of floral splendor. Her work was characterized by:

Scientific Precision: A commitment to capturing the true essence and structure of native specimens.
Artistic Elegance: The use of vibrant watercolors to reflect the lushness of the New Zealand landscape.
Botanical Documentation: The recording of species such as the Pohutukawa, Karaka, and Clematis indivisa with an eye for detail that served both art and science.

Through this publication, Featon’s artistry was supported by the scientific community, drawing upon the knowledge of experts like William Colenso and Thomas Kirk to ensure her work stood as a reliable botanical record.

A Lasting Legacy in New Zealand Art

Sarah Ann Featon’s contribution extends far beyond the pages of a single album; she remains a foundational figure in the history of New Zealand botanical art. Her ability to blend the meticulous observation required by the Victorian aesthetic with a deep, emotional connection to her adopted homeland allowed her work to transcend simple illustration. Today, her exquisite renderings are preserved in prestigious institutions such as Te Papa Tongarewa, serving as a window into the natural heritage of a bygone era. Her life stands as a testament to the power of passion and the enduring impact of an artist who looked closely at the natural world and found beauty worth preserving for eternity.

sarah ann featon

1887 , New Zealand

Quick Facts

Artistic Movement Or Style: Botanical Watercolor
Date Of Birth: c. 1848
Date Of Death: 28 april 1887
Full Name: Sarah Ann Featon
Nationality: New Zealand
Notable Artworks:
- Pohutukawa - Metrosideros tomentosa
- Puawananga - Clematis indivisa
- Myosotis species (5) forget-me-not
Place Of Birth: Christchurch, New Zealand

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