Spotted Blenny, or Butter-fish, Blennius gunnellus (1803)

Dated 1803, "Spotted Blenny, or Butter-fish, Blennius gunnellus" is an artwork by Edward Donovan. Context for 1803: Landscape gained new prestige through groups such as the Barbizon painters in France and the Hudson River School in the United States, and by mid-century Realism turned to ordinary people and everyday labour. 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. The catalogue places it in Plants & Animals. The format is landscape.

"Spotted Blenny, or Butter-fish, Blennius gunnellus" is shown in the onlly.art catalogue for reference and browsing. 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. Browsing works by the same artist, or from the same period, is a good way to compare styles before choosing what suits your space.

English, 1768–1837

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