The article investigates the so called Banks era (1778-1820), a period of the history of British science when botany played a key role in the intellectual life of the British Empire and botanical illustrations were a practical tool in the exploration of the world. The investigation of meanings evoked by botanical illustrations is associated with the investigation of observations which are both legitimatized and limited by certain administrative norms, cultural standards, and values characteristic of an epoch. Joseph Banks (1743-1820), an English botanist and president of the Royal Society (1778-1820), was the most prominent figure to promote botanical illustrations in Britain. The article views the biography of Joseph Banks in the context of his imperial ambitions and his intellectual environment. The results of the research provide insight into the understanding of humanity’s domination of nature, whose origin is associated with the development of a taxonomic approach and the improvement of botanical art techniques.