This is an authentic 19th-century hand-colored botanical lithograph titled Cerbera fruticosa (now known as Kopsia fruticosa), published in Curtis’s Botanical Magazine, Vol. 72, Tab. 4220 (1846).
The illustration was created by Walter Hood Fitch (1817–1892), one of the most celebrated botanical artists of the Victorian era, known for his collaboration with Kew Gardens.
• Artist: Walter Hood Fitch (1817–1892)
• Publication: Curtis’s Botanical Magazine, 1846
• Technique: Original hand-colored lithograph
• Size: approx. 9.25” × 13.5”
• Provenance: Retains the original Henri Antoville Art Galleries, 721 Madison Avenue, New York gallery label
The print features the tropical Asian shrub Cerbera fruticosa with its delicate pink flowers and detailed inset illustration. Like all Curtis’s plates of this period, it was printed in black from a lithographic stone and hand-colored, making each example unique.
Condition
• Antique paper with natural age toning and light edge wear
• Some mounting residue on reverse consistent with age
• Colors remain fresh and vivid (see photos)
Why Buy This Print
• Genuine Victorian-era botanical illustration – not a reproduction
• By Walter Hood Fitch, one of the greatest botanical illustrators
• Comes with Henri Antoville Gallery label (Madison Ave, New York)
• Ideal for framing, gifting, or collecting