A creature with the head of Sir Joseph Banks, a body defined by the ribbon of the Bath and roughly in the form of a chrysalis, and with the wings of a butterfly, rises (right) from a mud flat surrounded by sea. His head and body are decorated with trails of leaves; on his wings are sea-creatures: a shell, lobster, starfish, &c, and an (empty) cornucopia. He wears the jewel of the Bath with three insects (in place of crowns) in the centre. He is rising towards rays which radiate from a sun enclosing a crown in the upper right corner of the design. Caterpillars are emerging from the mud flat. Beneath the title: 'Description of the New Bath Butterfly - taken from the "Philosophical Transactions for 1795" - "This Insect first crawl'd into notice from | among the Weeds & Mud on the Banks of the South Sea; & being afterwards placed in a Warm Situation by the Royal Society, was | changed by the heat of the Sun into its present form------ it is notic'd & Valued Solely on account of the beautiful Red which encircles | its Body, & the Shining Spot on its Breast; a Distinction which never fails to render Caterpillars valuable.'
Plan your visit. 225 Madison Avenue at 36th Street, New York, NY 10016.
Plan your visit. 225 Madison Avenue at 36th Street, New York, NY 10016.
The great south sea caterpillar, transform'd into a Bath butterfly / Js. Gy. desn. et fect.
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James Gillray
1756-1815
The great south sea caterpillar, transform'd into a Bath butterfly / Js. Gy. desn. et fect.
hand colored etching
image: 34.4 x 23.8 cm; plate: 34.8 x 24.5 cm; sheet: 34.8 x 24.7 cm
Purchased by J. Pierpont Morgan, 1900.
Peel 2877
Published:
[London] : H. Humphrey, 1795.
Provenance:
Formerly owned by Sir Robert Peel.
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