The great South Sea Caterpillar, transform'd into a Bath Butterfly..., 1795 / engraving by James Gil...
The great South Sea Caterpillar, transform'd into a Bath Butterfly..., 1795 / engraving by James Gil...
The great South Sea Caterpillar, transform'd into a Bath Butterfly..., 1795 / engraving by James Gillray
About this item
Full title
Author / Creator
Date
[London : H. Humphrey 4 July 1795]
Call Numbers
V/211
Record Identifier
Reference Code
Physical Description
Contents
1 print - plate mark 35.0 x 25.1 cm, on sheet 40.2 x 28.1 cm - etching, hand-coloured
Other Descriptions
Level of description
Fonds
Access and use
Copying Conditions
Out of copyright : Artist died before 1955
Please acknowledge: : Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales
Subjects
More information
Scope and Contents
Contents
A hand coloured caricature depicting Sir Joseph Banks transforming from a caterpillar to a butterfly and rising from the mudflats towards a sun enclosing a crown. The caricature is a commentary on the appointment of Banks to the Order of the Bath, which he received as a result of his South Sea expedition. In the caricature Banks is shown draped wit...
Alternative Titles
Full title
The great South Sea Caterpillar, transform'd into a Bath Butterfly..., 1795 / engraving by James Gillray
Continuation of Title
...Description of the New Bath Butterfly - taken from the "Philosophical Transactions for 1795" -- "This Insect first crawl'd into notice from / among the Weeds & Mud on the Banks of the South Sea; & being afterwards placed in a Warm Situation by the Royal Society, was / changed by the heat of the Sun into its present form - it is notic'd & Valued...
Authors, Artists and Contributors
Author / Creator
Notes
General note
Another print of The great South Sea Caterpillar (black & white copy) is located at P2 / 38
Signature / Inscriptions
Artist's initials 'Js. Gy. des. et fec' printed lower right below image. At upper right on image, 'Pub.d July 4th 1795 by H. Humphrey No.37 New Bond Street'. Printed in upper right corner, outside border, '410'
Date note
Dated from: The works of James Gillray, from the original plates, with the addition of many subjects not before collected. London : Printed for H.G. Bohn, by C. Whiting, [1851]
Contextual Information
Source
Purchased from Antipodean Books, Maps & Prints, Capt. JAMES COOK & Associates, E-list 6, Item no. 6, September 2010
Administrative / Biographical history
James Gillray (1756-1815) was one of England’s most famous caricaturists. Renowned for his political prints he also produced a large number of social and personal satires. Gillray produced etchings for a number of printseller–publishers but from 1791 he worked exclusively for Hannah Humphrey (d. 1818). The publisher Henry Bohn later acquired Gillra...
Identifiers
Primary Identifiers
Call Numbers
V/211
Record Identifier
nmQdOb5n
Permalink
https://devfeature-collection.sl.nsw.gov.au/record/nmQdOb5n
Other Identifiers
Reference code
908685
How to access this item
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