Moths with their Caterpillars & Aurelias. Engraved for Tegg c1822.

by Davenport, Samuel

Wonderful antique print of lifecycle stages of Moths, engraved by Davenport for the 1822 edition of Goldsmith's Animated Nature.

Original steel engraving by Samuel Davenport (1783-1867) for “A History of the Earth and Animated Nature” by Oliver Goldsmith (1728-74), first published in 1774. This work aimed to bring together all that was known about the planet, earth, plants, animals and human inhabitants. It proved to be so popular that it was reissued with updates more than twenty times. This edition was published in London, circa 1822 by Thomas Tegg (1776-1845). Davenport was one of the first illustrators to engrave on steel.

To border measures 95 x 160mm (3.3/4 x 6.1/4 inches). Page size is 210 x 130mm (8.1/4 x 5.1/8 inches).