Foliated Murex or Rock Shell

This original hand-colored engraving is from Edward Donovan’s work The Naturalist’s Repository of Exotic Natural History… Of Quadrupeds, Birds, Fishes, Insects, Shells, Marine Productions… . The work was published in London between 1822 and 1827 for the author by W. Simpkin and R. Marshall. The engravings are from the first edition, second issue on woven, watermarked paper (not present to each sheet) that is less course than the first issue and has left them in much better condition with age.

Edward Donovan was involved in all the steps of creating the illustrations in his works from the drawing, etching, engraving, and hand-coloring. His artistic hand created some of the finest engravings that often have the appearance of watercolors. Donovan was an avid natural history collector, fellow of the Linnean Society and the Wernerian Natural History Society. He also opened his own private museum in 1807, the London Museum and Institute of Natural History.

Donovan’s engravings are noted for their exceptionally hand-colored images. He drew the images himself from his own museum as well as the collections of Sir Joseph Banks & Dru Drury.