Walter Hood Fitch

THIS talented botanical artist, whose name appears in almost every illustrated work of importance on botany or horticulture that was published in this country during the half-century from 1835 to 1885, expired at his residence at Kew on the 14th inst., after several years' indisposition, in which mental and physical decay were combined. The deceased was 75 years of age, and his whole life from early youth had been devoted to botanical drawing and painting; and his reputation was so high and so world-wide that it is unnecessary to say much on this point. Nevertheless, some particulars of the work of a man who accomplished so much and so well may be interesting to many persons who only know his work. Of Scotch birth, he was apprenticed, while still very young, to the designing department in a manufactory of fancy cotton goods at Paisley. Here his natural aptitude for drawing developed so rapidly and to such a degree as to indicate that he possessed talents of no ordinary kind, and his name soon became known outside of the factory. By some means he came under the notice of a friend of the late Sir William Hooker, and he, knowing that the latter was in need of a draughtsman, strongly recommended him to try the youth's capabilities. Sir William Hooker, at that time Regius Professor of Botany at Glasgow, acted on this suggestion, and the result was so satisfactory that he negotiated the cancel of Fitch's indentures, took him into his sole employ, and trained him for the kind of work he wished him to execute. We have not ascertained the exact date of this event, but it must have been as early as the year 1832, for already in 1834 he was a contributor to the Botanical Magazine, and he continued his connection with this long-lived periodical down to 1878, having during this period drawn and lithographed some 3000 of the plates. At first his initials did not appear regularly on the plates, but, on reference to the volume for 1837, it may be seen that it was practically all his, and that he had already become an efficient botanical draughtsman. The same year (1837) the first volume of Hooker's “Icones Plantarum” was published, and although Fitch's name does not appear, we have other evidence that he was the artist. In short, he not only illustrated all the numerous works of his first patron, but also those of his son, now Sir Joseph Hooker, as well as those of numerous other public and private persons. The fertility of his pencil was equalled by its facility, grace, vigour, and boldness; and his colouring was usually rich, and full, and truthful. It is true that most of his work does not exhibit the finish and minute detail characteristic of the masterpieces of the productions of the few other botanical artists with which comparisons could be made. In 1841, Sir William Hooker was appointed Director of the Royal Gardens, Kew, Fitch accompanying him, and residing there until his death. At Kew he found full scope for his powers, and notable amongst the numerous productions of his best days are the magnificent elephant folio plates representing various stages of the development of the Victoria regia as cultivated at Kew and Syon House; the plates of Sir William Hooker's numerous works on ferns; of Sir Joseph Hooker's “Botany of Sir James Ross's Antarctic Voyage”; and his “Illustrations of Himalayan Plants and Himalayan Rhododendrons”; of Howard's “Quinologia”: of Bateman's “Odontoglossum”; of Welwitch's “West African Plants”; of Speke and Grant's “Plants of the Upper Nile”; and of Seemann's “Botany of the Voyage of the Herald.” Examples of his later work are to be found in Elwes's “Lilies,” and the botany of Salvin and Godman's “Biologia Centrali-Americana,” the latter the last important work he accomplished. As might be imagined from the amount of work he did, Fitch wielded the pencil with remarkable rapidity and freedom; and one could not but admire the way in which he stood up and, free handed, guided his pencil over tie stone without any preliminary drawing. Botanical drawing, however, is not a very lucrative profession, and therefore not likely to attract persons of great attainments; but when Fitch became incapacitated through failing health, his merits were so far recognized as to gain him a Civil List pension, on the recommendation of the Earl of Beaconsfield, of £100 a year.