Delicately coloured antique print of butterflies. Goldsmith c1848.

by Goldsmith, Oliver

Pretty butterflies antique print, finely engraved for Goldsmith. 1 & 2 Royal Butterfly. 3 & 4 Male Azure-blue Butterfly. 5. Female Butterfly. 6. Mazarine-blue Butterfly. 7. Silver-streak Butterfly. 8 & 9. Nicippe Butterfly. 10. Merry Butterfly, c1848.

Original hand-coloured steel engraving for Goldsmith’s A History of the Earth and Animated Nature. First published in London in 1774, this engraving was published by Fullarton & Company in 1848 with later hand-colour.

Intending to translate Pliny's 'Natural History', Oliver Goldsmith (1728-1774) instead compiled his own work on all that was known about planet earth. The first edition of his enormous work was published in London the year he died. With beautiful hand-coloured illustrations it was a popular publication and was re-issued many times over the following years.

To the border measures 143 x 223mm (5 5/8 x 8 3/4 inches).