Botanical, Art, Tropical, Palm Trees, Caribbean, Antique Prints, London, 1750's

Description: Botanical, Art, Tropical, Palm Trees, Hughes Barbados, Caribbean, Professionally Framed Antique Prints. Griffith Hughes (b. 1707) (author) [Tropical Botanical Studies] from The Natural History of Barbados London: 1750 Hand-colored copperplate engravings 26 x 19 inches, overall [Framed] With each unique features and captivating subject matter, these prints are sure to be a conversation starter! Tropical palm tree and plant prints from a selection of Georg Dionysius Ehret hand-colored engravings depicting local flora and sea fauna of Barbados. Each is dedicated to a prominent person in elaborate engraved calligraphy and accompanied by a rendering of the dedicatee’s coat of arms. The prints come from a diverse natural history illustrated work by the Reverend Griffith Hughes, A.M. Georg Dionysus Ehret produced 30 original pictures for the work, and he engraved some of them as well (Blunt, 164). George Bickham drew and engraved others. James Mynde, Erbets, and Austen are credited as engravers on some of the other prints. Description Georg Dionysus (G.D.) Ehret was the dominant influence in botanical art during the 18th century. Ehret was born in Heidelberg, Germany, and trained as a gardener. He became the protégé of the Margrave of Baden-Durlach, who hired him to design town and palace gardens at Karlsruhe and make paintings of his flowers. After leaving the Margrave’s employ, relocated in Regensburg, where he met Johann Wilhelm Weinmann, and was engaged to produced drawings which were to be his first published works, for Phythanoza Iconographia. Upon producing the first 500 drawings, he had a dispute with Weinmann over compensation and obtained a new position copying plates for another patron, while also working independently on new paintings. His talents were recognized by Dr. Jakob Trew of Nuremberg, who became his lifelong patron and friend. With Trew’s backing, Ehret was able to leave his copying job. He traveled through Europe, including to Leiden in 1736, where he met the eminent naturalist Linnaeus, and then settled in England, where he remained the rest of his life. In London, he had a busy and successful career as a painter and instructor, obtaining numerous commissions from aristocratic patrons and having several duchesses and countesses among his pupils. Over his career, Ehret produced an important body of botanical paintings, including plates for a number of florilegia and travel books, notably Trew’s Plantae Selectae (1750-1773) and Hortus…Amoenissimorum Florum (1750-1786), and his own Plantae Paliliones Rariores (1748-1759) and Natural History of Barbados (1750). He often engraved his own plates. In 1757, he was made a Fellow of the Royal Society. His works today are represented in many important museum collections including the Victoria and Albert Museum and the British Natural History Museum. Griffith Hughes was a cleric and naturalist, thought to have been born in England. He was educated at Oxford in 1729 and ordained an Anglican deacon and priest in 1732, and thereupon sent to Pennsylvania to work as a missionary among the Welsh Quakers. Due to health problems, in 1736 he was transferred to St. Lucy’s Parish in Barbados. In 1748 he returned to England and finished his bachelor’s and master’s degrees, and was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society. In 1750 he produced The Natural History of Barbados, which is notable in part for containing the first scientific report of the existence of the grapefruit, a natural hybrid that appeared on Barbados, which Griffith referred to as “the forbidden fruit.” (That print, titled “Forbidden-Fruit-Tree,” is among those offered here. Click on the main image and scroll through the images using the arrow keys.) The work was praised by the eminent biologist Linnaeus. Apparently Hughes did not return to the ministry afterwards. James Mynde was a British engraver, working in London on a range of subjects including portraits, landscape and natural history plates, and also engraved the gores for some of James Ferguson’s globes. He is noted for his anatomical plates and portraits. Condition: Very good with the usual light overall toning and wear. Item is sold in the condition it is acquired in, the photos depict exactly the items for sale. Please look at all the photos carefully and feel free to ask any questions or request more photos. Use photos for determination of shade of color, style and condition.

Price: 130 USD

Location: Katy, Texas

End Time: 2024-08-16T23:47:09.000Z

Shipping Cost: N/A USD