DONOVAN, Edward

Spine with 5 raised bands and gilt-lettering. Second and third compartment with black morocco label bearing title and volume numbers. Other compartments richly gilt-tooled. Marbled edges, front and endpapers. According to Larousse Universel du IXe siecle, Donovan (1768-1837) did not contribute very much to ichthyology: "quoique la science ne doive a Donovan aucune découverte importante, ses ouvrages ont beaucoup contribué à répandre en Angleterre l'étude de l'histoire naturelle" , but Peter S. Dance in his book "The art of natural history", page 87, gives a much more pleasing comment and in particular on Donovan's stunning colourful drawings: "the paint is laid on so thickly that it is frequently impossible to see the engraved lines underneath. The already rich colouring is heightened by the addition of burnished highlights, albumen overglazes and metallic paints to give an overall effect reminiscent of the work of a miniaturist. Surprisingly, these techniques often combined to produce a very pleasing and delicate effect: the multiple ruses of the colourist triumph over the draughtsman's numerous failures." Nissen, Schöne Fischbücher, 1951, nr. 51.