Cattleya Dawsoni: Fitch, c.1865

Title: Cattleya Dawsoni Author: Walter Hood Fitch Date: c.1865 Condition: Excellent Inches: 10 3/8 x 14 1/4 [Image] Centimeters: 26.35 x 36.19 [Image] Product ID: 308443 Cattleya Dawsoni is a medium-sized epiphytic orchid species native to Venezuela, specifically found on the northern coastal range in low, scrubby hills at altitudes from 0 to 500 meters. It was first described by Reichenbach in 1854, named in honor of the gardener Dawson associated with M. Pescatore of Paris. Background on Creator Walter Hood Fitch (1817-1892) was born in Glasgow, Scotland. From a young age, he demonstrated artistic talent and began formal training as a pattern drawer at a textile mill by the age of 13. This early apprenticeship, which involved creating intricate designs for calico fabric and mastering the complex process of engraving and color matching, laid the technical foundation for his later work as a botanical illustrator. Fitch’s career in botanical art began after a pivotal meetin