• Title
  The great South Sea Caterpillar, transform'd into a Bath Butterfly..., 1795 / engraving by James Gillray
• Creator
  James Gillray, 1756-1815
• Call number
  V/211
  
• Level of description
  fonds
• Date
  
  [London : H. Humphrey 4 July 1795]
• Type of material
  Graphic Materials, Prints
• Reference code
  908685
• Physical Description
  1 print - plate mark 35.0 x 25.1 cm, on sheet 40.2 x 28.1 cm - etching, hand-coloured
  
• ADMINISTRATIVE/ BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY
  
  James Gillray (1756-1815) was one of England’s most famous caricaturists. Renowned for his political prints he also produced a large number of social and personal satires. Gillray produced etchings for a number of printseller–publishers but from 1791 he worked exclusively for Hannah Humphrey (d. 1818). The publisher Henry Bohn later acquired Gillray's plates and re-issued his works in 1851 in two atlas folios.
  
  Sir Joseph Banks (1743–1820), naturalist and patron of science, was made a knight in the Order of the Bath in 1795, the first civilian to be granted this honour by the King.
  
  References:
  Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. http://www.oxforddnb.com/ (accessed 24 September 2010)
  Historical and descriptive account of the caricatures of James Gillray... / by Thomas Wright and R. H. Evans. London : Henry G. Bohn, 1851
• Scope and Content
  A hand coloured caricature depicting Sir Joseph Banks transforming from a caterpillar to a butterfly and rising from the mudflats towards a sun enclosing a crown. The caricature is a commentary on the appointment of Banks to the Order of the Bath, which he received as a result of his South Sea expedition. In the caricature Banks is shown draped with the ribbon and wearing the jewel of Bath.
  
  On reverse is a black and white print entitled 'A lady putting on her Cap June 1795'. This print shows two women helping a third woman put on her turban-style headgear while a small dog tugs at the other end of the lengthy cloth. Printed in lower right below image 'Pub.d June 30th 1795 by H. Humphrey No.37 New Bond Street'. Printed in upper right '409'
• Copying Conditions
  Out of copyright: Artist died before 1955
  Please acknowledge:: Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales
• General note
  
  ...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. -"
  Another print of The great South Sea Caterpillar (black & white copy) is located at P2 / 38
• Signatures / Inscriptions
  
  Artist's initials 'Js. Gy. des. et fec' printed lower right below image. At upper right on image, 'Pub.d July 4th 1795 by H. Humphrey No.37 New Bond Street'. Printed in upper right corner, outside border, '410'
• Date note
  
  Dated from: The works of James Gillray, from the original plates, with the addition of many subjects not before collected. London : Printed for H.G. Bohn, by C. Whiting, [1851]
• Subject
  Caricatures and cartoons--Great Britain
  English wit and humor, Pictorial
  Banks, Joseph, 1743-1820--Caricatures and cartoons.
  
• Topic
  caterpillars
  political cartoons
  botanists
  satire
  
• Open Rosetta viewer
  IE9154007

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