Category: Plates (llustrations) from books

Dreamy images from “Plans, elevations, sections, and details of the Alhambra,” Volume 1. A collaboration of Owen Jones, Jules Goury, and Pascual de Gayangos. Published between 1842 and 1845.

“Divan – Patio de la Alberca.” Page 90. Collections of the Smithsonian Libraries. In the public domain. via https://library.si.edu/digital-library/book/planselevations1gour-0
“Alhambra, Sala de la Barca. Details des Grande Arcs dans le salle de la Barque.Plan de Pendentis. Page 96. Collections of the Smithsonian Libraries. In the public domain. via https://library.si.edu/digital-library/book/planselevations1gour-0
“Alhambra, fentre dans alcove, salle des Soeurs.” Page 156. Collections of the Smithsonian Libraries. In the public domain. via https://library.si.edu/digital-library/book/planselevations1gour-0

I wish I could say I found this one. I know of many Owen Jones folios with wonderful imagery but this one about the Alhambra I had no idea it existed. I found it through my good friend who posts Islamic art who is on Twitter at @ReemK10 and on Instagram at @paperpills10 who I thank very much. If you enjoy Islamic art, please check out her posts which are wonderful. This is only three images and there are two volumes of them.

Plates from Gkukas Injijian’s 1815 work “Eghanak Biwzandian Bazmavep” (The Byzantine Season Almanac). Gkukas Injijian was the father of modern Armenian geography.

Man with shield. Number 99. Image © SPL Hand Colored Rare Book Collection. Fair use license. via https://www.splrarebooks.com/collection/view/eghanak-biwzandian-bazmavep-the-byzantine-season-almanack.bound-with-drasha
Man with bow and arrow. Number 107. Image © SPL Hand Colored Rare Book Collection. Fair use license. via https://www.splrarebooks.com/collection/view/eghanak-biwzandian-bazmavep-the-byzantine-season-almanack.bound-with-drasha
Man in red coat. Number 127. Image © SPL Hand Colored Rare Book Collection. Fair use license. via https://www.splrarebooks.com/collection/view/eghanak-biwzandian-bazmavep-the-byzantine-season-almanack.bound-with-drasha
Man on horseback. Number 131. Image © SPL Hand Colored Rare Book Collection. Fair use license. via https://www.splrarebooks.com/collection/view/eghanak-biwzandian-bazmavep-the-byzantine-season-almanack.bound-with-drasha

Life under the sea. Lithographs taken color pencil drawings made by Austrian artist Eugen Ransonnet-Villez while submerged in his diving bell. From the artist’s 1867 work “Sketches of the Inhabitants, Animal Life and Vegetation in the Lowlands and High Mountains of Ceylon.” Various archives. These images via publicdomainrevew.org.

“Submarine Rocks with Green Corals.” 1867. In the public domain due to age. Image source; commons.wikimedia.org, via https://publicdomainreview.org/collection/underwater-landscapes-of-eugen-von-ransonnet-villez
“Group of Corals.” 1860s. In the public domain due to age. via https://publicdomainreview.org/collection/underwater-landscapes-of-eugen-von-ransonnet-villez
“Coral Reef near Pointe de Galle.” ca. 1860s. In the public domain due to age. via https://publicdomainreview.org/collection/underwater-landscapes-of-eugen-von-ransonnet-villez
“Group of Alcyonidae.” ca. 1860s. In the public domain due to age. via https://publicdomainreview.org/collection/underwater-landscapes-of-eugen-von-ransonnet-villez

Illustrations by Margaret Armour for W. B. MacDougall’s 1897 work “The Fall of the Nibelungs.” Published in London by J. M. Dent and Company.

Page 21, Collections of Harvard University. Google, digitalizing sponsor. In the public domain due to age. via https://archive.org/details/fallnibelungspa00macdgoog/page/n21/mode/2up
Page 39. Collections of Harvard University. Google, digitalizing sponsor. In the public domain due to age. via https://archive.org/details/fallnibelungspa00macdgoog/page/n39/mode/2up
Page 57. Collections of Harvard University. Google, digitalizing sponsor. In the public domain due to age. via https://archive.org/details/fallnibelungspa00macdgoog/page/n57/mode/2up

Time travel back to a lost Jamaica. Jamaica in 1825, that is. James Hakewill’s “A picturesque tour of the island of Jamaica” with views engraved in aquatint after drawings by Hakewill, and colored by hand.

“Bridge over the Rio Cobre, Spanish Town.” Page 23. Engraved by J. Cartwright from a drawing by Hakewill. Collections of and digitalized by the Boston Public Library. In the public domain due to age. via https://archive.org/details/picturesquetouro00hake/page/n23/mode/2up
“Kingston and Port Royal, from Windsor Farm.” Page 27. Engraved by Sutherland from a drawing by Hakewill. Collections of and digitalized by the Boston Public Library. In the public domain due to age. via https://archive.org/details/picturesquetouro00hake/page/n27/mode/2up
“Waterfall on the Windward Road, near Kingston.” Page 39. Engraved by Sutherland from a drawing by Hakewill. Collections of and digitalized by the Boston Public Library. In the public domain due to age. via https://archive.org/details/picturesquetouro00hake/page/n39/mode/2up
“Holland Estate, Saint Thomas in the East – the Property of G. W. Taylor, Esquire, MP.” Page 43. Engraved by Sutherland from a drawing by Hakewill. Collections of and digitalized by the Boston Public Library. In the public domain due to age. via https://archive.org/details/picturesquetouro00hake/page/n43/mode/2up
“Golden Vale, Portland.” Page 47. Engraved by Sutherland from a drawing by Hakewill. Collections of and digitalized by the Boston Public Library. In the public domain due to age. via https://archive.org/details/picturesquetouro00hake/page/n47/mode/2up

Slightly old sea creatures and their shells. From Louis-Charles Keiner work “Spécies général et iconographie des coquilles vivantes comprenant la collection du Muséum d’histoire naturelle de Paris” which was published in Paris around 1840.

“Porcelain Cypraea: 1. Porcelaine tigre (cypraea tigris). 2. Porcelaine carneole (cypraea carneola). 3. Porcelaine grenue (cypraea nuclens).” Page 179. Collections of and digitalized by the University Library, University of Illinois Urbana Champaign. In the public domain due to age. via https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/19864#page/179/mode/1up
“Porcelain Cypraea: 1. Porcelain livide (Cypraea stercoraria). 2. Porcelaine taupe (Cypraea talpa)”. Page 201. Collections of and digitalized by the University Library, University of Illinois Urbana Champaign. In the public domain due to age. via https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/19864#page/201/mode/1up
“Porcelain Cypraea: 1. Porcelaine tigre (Cypraea tigris). 2. Porcelaine pacifique (Cypraea pacifica). 3. Porcelaine subrostrée (Cypraea subrostrata). Page 267. Collections of and digitalized by the University Library, University of Illinois Urbana Champaign. In the public domain due to age. via https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/19864#page/267/mode/1up
“Ovule (Ovula): Ovule des Moluques (Ovula oviformis Lam).” Page 321. Collections of and digitalized by the University Library, University of Illinois Urbana Champaign. In the public domain due to age. via https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/19864#page/321/mode/1up
“Ovule (Ovula): 1. Ovule anguleuse (Ovula angulosa). 2. Ovule gibbeuse (Ovula gibbosa). 3. Ovule a verrues (Ovula verricosa). 4. Ovule de l”Adriatique (Ovula Adriatici).” Page 323. Collections of and digitalized by the University Library, University of Illinois Urbana Champaign. In the public domain due to age. via https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/19864#page/323/mode/1up
“Ancillaire (Ancillaria): 1. Ancillaire bordee (Ancillaria marginata). 2. Ancillaire australe (Ancillaria australis). 3. Ancillaire Australe jeune (Ancillairia australis junior). 4. Ancillaire blanche (Ancillaria candida).” Page 379. Collections of and digitalized by the University Library, University of Illinois Urbana Champaign. In the public domain due to age. via https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/19864#page/379/mode/1up

18th century flowers, plates from Henry Charles Andrews work “The Botanist’s Repository” which was published in London in 1797. These images taken from Volume 6.

“Flesh colored Sanseviera – Sanseviera Carnea: Six chives, one pointal.” Plate CCCLXI, Page 2. Collections of and digitalized by the Missouri Botanical Garden. In the public domain. via https://archive.org/details/mobot31753002852454/page/n1/mode/2up
“Yellow-bottomed White Crocus – Crocus Biflorus: three chives, one pointal.” Plate CCCLXII, page 4. Collections of and digitalized by the Missouri Botanical Garden. In the public domain. via https://archive.org/details/mobot31753002852454/page/n3/mode/2up
“The Peacock Iris – Iris Pavonia: Three chives, one pointal. Plate CCCLXIV, page 7.Collections of and digitalized by the Missouri Botanical Garden. In the public domain. via https://archive.org/details/mobot31753002852454/page/n7/mode/2up

Victorian flowers, lithographic plates from “A monograph of the genus Lilium.” Written by John Henry Elwes and illustrated by W. H. Fitch, it was published in London in 1877.

“Lilith Philippenense.” Page 32. Collections of and digitalized by the Missouri Botanical Gardens. In the public domain due to age. via https://archive.org/details/mobot31753000795721/page/n31/mode/2up
“Lilium Hanson.” Page 34. Collections of and digitalized by the Missouri Botanical Gardens. In the public domain due to age. via https://archive.org/details/mobot31753000795721/page/n33/mode/2up
“Lilium Pomponium.” Page 39. Collections of and digitalized by the Missouri Botanical Gardens. In the public domain due to age. via https://archive.org/details/mobot31753000795721/page/n37/mode/2up

Some of the first images of tropical fish published in London. Taken from John Whitchurch Bennett’s 1830 work “A selection from the most remarkable and interesting of the fishes found on the coast of Ceylon.” These plates are from the 1834 edition.

“Scorpaena Volitans or Gini Maha.” Page 16. Collections of the Smithsonian Libraries. Biodiversity Heritage Library, digitalizing sponsor. In the public domain due to age. via https://archive.org/details/selectionfrommo00benn/page/n15/mode/2up
“Acanthurus Vittatus or Seweyah.” Page 19. Collections of the Smithsonian Libraries. Biodiversity Heritage Library, digitalizing sponsor. In the public domain due to age. via https://archive.org/details/selectionfrommo00benn/page/n19/mode/2up
“Gomphosus Fuscus or Koppara Girawah.” Page 23. Collections of the Smithsonian Libraries. Biodiversity Heritage Library, digitalizing sponsor. In the public domain due to age. via https://archive.org/details/selectionfrommo00benn/page/n23/mode/2up
“Holocentrus Ruber or Ratoo Pahayah.” Page 27. Collections of the Smithsonian Libraries. Biodiversity Heritage Library, digitalizing sponsor. In the public domain due to age. via https://archive.org/details/selectionfrommo00benn/page/n27/mode/2up

Study for your botany final the pretty way. Pictures from Jules Auguste Habert-Dys work “Caprices Décoratifs des Oiseaux, des Fleurs, des Paysages, des Algues et Possions” which was published in Plauen, Saxony in 1890. Digitalized by SLUB- Dresden.

Plate. SLUB Dresden Reference ID#51. Collections of SLUB Dresden. Cc0 License 4.0. via https://digital.slub-dresden.de/werkansicht/dlf/151981/5/0/
Plate III. Plate. SLUB Dresden Reference ID25-III. Collections of SLUB Dresden. Cc0 License 4.0. via https://digital.slub-dresden.de/werkansicht/dlf/151981/25/0/#
Plate IV. Plate. SLUB Dresden Reference ID31-IV. Collections of SLUB Dresden. Cc0 License 4.0. via https://digital.slub-dresden.de/werkansicht/dlf/151981/31/0/#
Image 11 from Caprices Décoratifs des Oiseaux, des Fleurs, des Paysages, des Algues et Possions“. Published in 1890. Jules Auguste Habert-Dys. Digitalized by SLUB- Dresden. Artwork in the public domain due to age. via https://digital.slub-dresden.de/werkansicht/dlf/151981/11#
Image 21 from Caprices Décoratifs des Oiseaux, des Fleurs, des Paysages, des Algues et Possions“. Published in 1890. Jules Auguste Habert-Dys. Digitalized by SLUB- Dresden. Artwork in the public domain due to age. via https://digital.slub-dresden.de/werkansicht/dlf/151981/21#
Image 35 from Caprices Décoratifs des Oiseaux, des Fleurs, des Paysages, des Algues et Possions“. Published in 1890. Jules Auguste Habert-Dys. Digitalized by SLUB- Dresden. Artwork in the public domain due to age. via https://digital.slub-dresden.de/werkansicht/dlf/151981/35#

There is another copy of this same work in the Gallica bnf though it might be a 1900 edition too. I’m not sure.