Whiff, Pleuronectes Megastoma (1803)

Dated 1803, "Whiff, Pleuronectes Megastoma" is an artwork by Edward Donovan. About the period around 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. Plants & Animals in brief: 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. It is listed in the Plants & Animals collection. The image is in landscape orientation.

On onlly.art "Whiff, Pleuronectes Megastoma" is sold as a digital download (Digital JPEG + PDF files, 300 DPI). The files are delivered by email after payment, so nothing is shipped: you print locally, choosing the paper, size, and frame yourself. A landscape format suits wide, low wall spaces such as the stretch above a bed, mantel, or sideboard. Before printing, compare the proportions of the file with your frame so that nothing important is cropped. 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. Screens and printers render colour differently, so a small test print is a sensible way to check tones before committing to a large size.

English, 1768–1837

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