Manila Pulchra (1874-1877)

"Manila Pulchra" (1874-1877) is a work by Paul Eugène Mesplès. Historical background, 1874-1877: Japanese prints reached Europe in large numbers and influenced many artists, while photography changed what painting needed to do. In the 1890s, colour lithography and Art Nouveau made the illustrated poster a celebrated art form. Plants & Animals, a short history: Naturalists and artists often worked together, especially on voyages and in published surveys of flora and fauna. Images of plants and animals run from medieval herbals and bestiaries to the scientific illustration of the seventeenth to nineteenth centuries. The catalogue places it in Plants & Animals. The format is portrait.

Buying "Manila Pulchra" means getting a digital file, not a physical print: Digital JPEG + PDF files, 300 DPI, delivered by email once payment is confirmed. A 300 DPI file is intended for printing at home or at a local print shop, where you can choose a matte, satin, or fine-art paper to suit the room. A portrait format suits narrow wall spaces, hallways, and the area beside a door or window. 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. A simple frame with a mat often helps an image settle comfortably into a room. 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. Matte and fine-art papers reduce glare in bright rooms, while glossy papers give stronger contrast and deeper blacks.

French, 1849–1921

If you like the visual language of Paul Eugène Mesplès, explore more works by the same artist in our collection.