Bahama Unicorn Fish

This exceptional original watercolor is from he historically significant manuscript which was the ‘First Zoological Inventory of Polynesia.’ The work was based on the research of Charles-Gaëtan Noury is entitled Frégate la Sirene, commendée par Mr. Noury Capitaine de Frégate. Histoire naturelle. Voyage dans l’Oceanie, années 1847, 1848 & 1849. Iles de la Société, Tahiti & Marquises, Nouka hiva and was unknown until 2017. The work was completed in France after 1850.

The illustrations were mounted on card and often have French handwritten descriptors with local names. All of the illustrations and text for the manuscript were based on the scientific findings of Charles-Gaëtan Noury. It encompassed the entire animal kingdom of Polynesia creating the ‘First Zoological Inventory of Polynesia.’

Michel Jangou commented in his modern publication of the manuscript that “Noury produced a pioneering work, the first zoological inventory of Polynesia! He compiled it discreetly, with the invaluable help of a talented painter who remains anonymous. Since then, Noury’s manuscript and the watercolors which illustrate it have remained ignored by everything: it took more than a century and a half for the captain’s work, still intact, to find the light and finally be revealed to us.” (p. 39)

Noury divided the animals into individual classes. The artist depicted the animals with brilliant colors and a mastery of detail. The manuscript depicted several previously unknown species. Noury’s text was mainly dedicated to his zoological findings with a smaller section on plants.

Charles-Gaëtan Noury (1809-1869) was a French naval officer and naturalist. He boarded the Sirène in Brest, France in 1846 as the deputy to Commander Lavaud. Lavaud had been appointed governor of the French settlements in Oceania. While Lavaud served as governor, Noury had command of the Sirène and stationed in Papeete (Tahiti). He dedicated himself to scientific research there and with the help of painters created his manuscript.