"A creature with the head of Sir Joseph Banks, a body defined by the ribbon of the Bath and roughly in the form of a chrysalis, and with the wings of a butterfly, rises (right) from a mud flat surrounded by sea. His head and body are decorated with trails of leaves; on his wings are sea-creatures: a shell, lobster, starfish, &c, and an (empty) cornucopia. He wears the jewel of the Bath with three insects (in place of crowns) in the centre. He is rising towards rays which radiate from a sun enclosing a crown in the upper right corner of the design. Caterpillars are emerging from the mud flat. Beneath the title: 'Description of the New Bath Butterfly - taken from the "Philosophical Transactions for 1795" - "This Insect first crawl'd into notice from among the Weeds & Mud on the Banks of the South Sea; & being afterwards placed in a Warm Situation by the Royal Society, was changed by the heat of the Sun into its present form------ it is notic'd & Valued Solely on account of the beautiful Red which encircles its Body, & the Shining Spot on its Breast; a Distinction which never fails to render Caterpillars valuable.'"--British Museum online catalogue.
Alternative Title:
Great South Sea caterpillar transformed into a Bath butterfly
Description:
Title etched below image.
Publisher:
H. Humphrey, No. 37 New Bond Street
Subject (Name):
Auchincloss, Hugh Dudley--Ownership., Banks, Joseph,--1743-1820--Caricatures and cartoons., Harvey, Francis--Ownership., and Humphrey, Hannah, active 1774-1817, publisher.