A NATURAL HISTORY OF ENGLISH INSECTS.
Date1724
Primary Author
Eleazar Albin
Engraver
Eleazar Albin
Publisher
William Curtis
(1746 - 1799)
After work by
Eleazar Albin
Publisher
John Innys
OriginEngland, London
MediumBlack and white line engravings with period hand color
DimensionsOH: 12" x OW: 9 1/2"
Credit LineMuseum Purchase
Object number1988-282
Description2nd Edition; contains 100 hand-colored engravingsLabel TextAlthough Eleazar Albin published several books on birds and fish during his career, his most notable work is of insects. Not much is known about Albin’s early life or career, but he wrote in the preface of this volume that he was first attracted to the study of natural history by observing the beautiful colors of flowers and insects.
To supplement their income, naturalists often taught the art of botanical illustration. Between 1717 and 1719, William Byrd II of Virginia, took drawing lessons from Albin while living in London. A Natural History of English Insects contains one hundred hand-colored plates of insects on plants, each bearing a dedication to a subscriber. One of these plates is dedicated to Byrd.
1800-1827 (compiled); some 1726
1616