The great South Sea Caterpillar, transform'd into a Bath Butterfly, 4 July 1795
Scope and Contents
Artist: James Gillray. Published: Hannah Humphrey. 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.' Description from the British Museum.
Dates
- Creation: 4 July 1795
Conditions Governing Access
Available by appointment in our Reading Room
Extent
1 Item(s)
Language of Materials
English
Repository Details
Part of the Special Collections and Archives Repository
Western Bank Library
University of Sheffield
Western Bank
Sheffield South Yorkshire S10 2TN United Kingdom
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