Donovan's Insects

Edward Donovan (1768 – 1 February 1837), was a natural history illustrator, amateur zoologist, and writer. This collection includes Insects of New Holland, created using specimens collected by Joseph Banks and William Bayly, an astronomer on the second and third voyages of James Cook, specimens in the collection of Dru Drury and other private collections as well as his own museum. It is the first publication dealing exclusively with the insects of Australia. Likewise, Insects of India was the first European entomology publication for India.

The engravings in these books were hand coloured by Donovan and a team of employees, using thick paints, burnished highlights, albumen overglazes and metallic paints.