Salpa are invertebrate marine animals of the Tunicata family, especially prolific in the Southern Ocean close to Antarctica. Four species on the one plate.
Published in Voyage autour du monde: execute par ordre du roi, sur la corvette la Coquille pendant les annees 1822, 1823, 1824, et 1825.
Published in Voyage autour du monde: execute par ordre du roi, sur la corvette la Coquille pendant les annees 1822, 1823, 1824, et 1825.The voyage was proposed by the commander, Louis-Isidore Duperrey, (1786-1865), to complete the work undertaken by the earlier voyage of the URANIE, commanded by Louis Freycinet. Duperrey selected a small cargo vessel with a capacious hold and shallow draft as his ship. The vessel, LA COQUILLE was designated a corvette after its induction into the French Navy. The voyage moved westward into the Pacific Ocean visiting in turn Tahiti, the Solomon Islands, New Guinea, Moluccus, Sydney, New Zealand and then back to the Society Islands. Duperrey returned to France via the Caroline Islands, spending a considerable time in Guam. The account of the voyage began being published in 1830.LA COQUILLE was such a success as an exploration vessel that it was renamed LA ASTROLABE, (in honour of the vessel commanded by the lost French explorer la Perouse). Under the command of Dumont D'Urville, (Duperry's former second in command), LA ASTROLABE made two more voyages to the Pacific, including one that landed for the first time on the terrestial Antarctic continent and collected the first rocks and minerals.The prints are amongst the most beautifull travel prints of the nineteenth century and the natural history prints are vibrant and skillfully drawn. They are copperplate stipple engravings, coloured on the plate, the most expensive and best quality colour printing process of the period.
 
c1830
 
Stipple engraving, coloured on the plate.
 
240 x 325 mm. Plateline measurement.
 
Generally good condition.