Terrapene clausa - Edward Lear
Archival giclée
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Description
A detailed nineteenth-century zoological lithograph of the Eastern Box Turtle by British artist Edward Lear, featuring both profile and underside views.
This lithograph depicts the Eastern Box Turtle, scientifically identified as Terrapene clausa. Edward Lear, a figure better known for his nonsense poetry, began his career as a highly skilled natural history illustrator. His early work focused on the precise documentation of exotic birds and reptiles for various zoological publications. This print demonstrates his ability to combine scientific accuracy with a clear, observational aesthetic. The composition presents two distinct views of the specimen. The upper figure shows the turtle in profile, capturing the characteristic high-domed shell with its distinct yellow-brown markings and the texture of the scaly limbs. The lower figure provides a view of the plastron, or the underside of the shell, showing the hinged structure that allows the species to close itself tightly. The use of lithography allowed for the reproduction of fine lines, while the application of hand-colouring adds a layer of realism to the biological features. Lear produced these plates during a period when the study of natural history was expanding rapidly in Britain. His work was often commissioned for inclusion in larger volumes that catalogued species from across the globe. The clarity of the drawing, combined with the neutral background, ensures that the focus remains entirely on the anatomical details of the turtle. This print is a representative example of the nineteenth-century approach to documenting the natural world, where the artist acted as a bridge between the specimen and the scientific reader. The work remains a clean, informative piece of historical documentation, suitable for those interested in the intersection of art and biology.
Return policy
Because every print is made to order, we don't offer change-of-mind returns, refunds or exchanges. If your order arrives faulty, damaged or incorrect, we'll replace it free of charge — just contact us within 48 hours of delivery. See our refunds page for full details.
Shipping
We ship worldwide, printing at the production hub nearest to your delivery address. Delivery times and costs vary by destination — you'll see the options available to you at checkout.
Manufacturing
Each print is produced to order using 12-colour giclée printing on FSC-certified archival paper. Designed in Britain and printed at your nearest production hub to reduce waste and speed up delivery.
Terrapene clausa - Edward Lear
Our Features
Designed for Lasting Impact
Specific Features
Every Solis piece is made to order with archival, gallery-quality materials built to last.
- Museum-grade giclée printing for rich, fade-resistant colour
- Archival matte fine-art paper, FSC-certified
- Multiple sizes and framing options available
- Frames in black, natural wood, dark wood or white
- Framed prints arrive ready to hang
Care & Cleaning
To keep your artwork looking its best:
- Dust gently with a soft, dry cloth
- Avoid prolonged direct sunlight
- Never use liquid cleaners on the print or canvas surface
- Keep in a dry, room-temperature space
- Handle prints with clean, dry hands
Materials & Sizing
Museum-grade giclée on FSC-certified archival matte paper, with framed and canvas options.
- Paper sizes: A4, A3, A2, A1, A0 and B2 (50×70 cm)
- Canvas: XS (20×30 cm) to Large (60×90 cm)
- Frames: black, natural wood, dark wood or white
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Artist Biography
Edward Lear
His landscape career ran simultaneously. From the 1840s he made extended sketching tours through Italy, Albania, Greece, Egypt, Palestine, India, and Ceylon, producing illustrated travel journals of careful documentary precision. In 1846 Queen Victoria sought him out as a drawing teacher, having admired his Italian lithographs; he gave her twelve lessons. Brief study under William Holman Hunt in 1852 introduced Pre-Raphaelite rigour to his oils, though his watercolours and pen-and-ink drawings remain his most direct legacy.
Lear suffered from epilepsy throughout his life, calling it the Demon and concealing it carefully from a society ill-equipped to understand it. He was severely shortsighted from childhood and lived with considerable loneliness, despite the warmth of his nonsense verse. He settled in San Remo in 1871, eventually naming his house Villa Tennyson after his close friend Alfred, Lord Tennyson, for whom he composed settings of 212 poems.
His cat, Foss, was his companion for 15 years. When Lear moved to a larger house in San Remo, he had it built to identical proportions so Foss would not be disoriented. Foss died two months before Lear, in January 1888. The Owl and the Pussycat (1871), containing the word runcible spoon, now in everyday English use, is his most enduring poem.
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