Bream, Cyprinus Brama (1803)

Dated 1803, "Bream, Cyprinus Brama" is an artwork by Edward Donovan. Plants & Animals, a short history: Images of plants and animals are valued both for the care of their observation and for their decorative appeal. Images of plants and animals run from medieval herbals and bestiaries to the scientific illustration of the seventeenth to nineteenth centuries. Historical background, 1803: The first half of the nineteenth century moved from Neoclassicism to Romanticism, which placed emotion, nature, and the sublime at the centre of painting. The invention of lithography around 1796 and its spread in these decades made printed images cheaper and more varied. The catalogue places it in Plants & Animals. The format is landscape.

Everything for "Bream, Cyprinus Brama" arrives digitally: Digital JPEG + PDF files, 300 DPI. Once payment is confirmed, an email brings the download link, and from there you decide how to print it, whether at home, at a print shop, or through an online service. A landscape format suits wide, low wall spaces such as the stretch above a bed, mantel, or sideboard. Flora and fauna subjects make an interior feel softer and more alive, adding a natural rhythm that works well in both traditional and contemporary spaces. Matching the frame to the image proportions avoids cropping. Matte and fine-art papers reduce glare in bright rooms, while glossy papers give stronger contrast and deeper blacks. Hang the print away from direct sunlight, which over the years can fade any printed colour. Choosing a standard frame size and printing to fit it often saves the cost of custom framing.

English, 1768–1837

If you like the visual language of Edward Donovan, explore more works by the same artist in our collection.