Botanical and Natural History Print Collection, 1840-1849

Summary

Creator:
Audubon, John James, 1785-1851 and Redouté, Pierre Joseph, 1759-1840
Date:
1840-1849
Extent:
24.2 Linear Feet 4 document boxes, 1 card file box, 2 oversized boxes, 8 volumes, 362 oversized folders
Language:
English
Preferred citation:

Botanical and Natural History Print Collection, ms2929, Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library, The University of Georgia Libraries.

Background

Scope and content:

The collection consists of approximately 400 original color prints by a number of important 19th century naturalists. The majority of the collection comes from John James Audubon's The Viviparous Quadrupeds of North America and Pierre-Joseph Redoutés Les Liliacées, Les Roses and "Choix des plus Belles Fleurs," as well as several prints from M.A. Burnett's Plantae Utiliores, or Illustrations of Useful Plants, Employed in the Arts and Medicine, Part III. The collection also includes a Currier and Ives print and a handful of botanical and natural themed prints by other artists including Wilkes, Curtis, and Gould. In addition are over a dozen reference books, highlighting eight natural history reference books, many of which contain published copies of the originals in the collection.

Though the prints originate from published works, none of the works represented here have a complete set of plates. For example, in Series 3 Prints from Redoute's Les Liliaces, there are only a scant few prints from Volume 1, whereas the collection holds many more plates from Les Liliaces Volume 8, if still not all of them. In several cases there are duplicate copies of identical prints; this has been noted in the listing where it occurs.

Biographical / historical:

M.A. Burnett, John James Audubon, Pierre Joseph Redoute, Wilkes, J. Gould and H.C. Richter, W. Phillips, S. Curtis, Poiteau and Turpin, Joseph Nigg, W. Curtis, and Currier and Ives were all well-known illustrators working in the 19th century. Collectively their work focuses heavily on natural history subjects, primarily plants, birds, mammals, and insects.

A brief individual biography for each illustrator or team of illustrators is available below at the series level.

Arrangement:

Arranged into 8 series by the creator of the prints and the publication for which they were produced: Series 1. Burnett- Plant prints; Series 2. Audubon- Viviparous Quadrupeds prints; Series 3. Redoute- Les Liliaces prints; Series 4. Redoute- Les Roses prints; Series 5. Redoute-Traite des Arbres et Arbustes prints; Series 6. Redoute- Choix des Plus Belles Fleurs prints; Series 7.Other Illustrators; and Series 8. Reference Books.

Series 3. Redoute- Les Liliaces prints is divided into eight subseries by volume of the original publication, and includes subseries 3.1 through 3.8. Series 7. Other Illustrators is broken down into six subseries by illustrator name. The subseries are: 7.1 Wilkes; 7.2 Gould and Richter; 7.3 Phillips and Fardon; 7.4 Phillips; 7.5 S. Curtis; 7.6 Poiteau and Turpin. Single items included in this series are by Joseph Nigg, W. Curtis, and Currier and Ives.

Access and use restrictions

Preferred citation:

Botanical and Natural History Print Collection, ms2929, Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library, The University of Georgia Libraries.