Engraving Collection (#40)

David Hume, Scottish philosopher
David Hume (1711-76), Scottish philosopher and historian. Hume was born and educated at Edinburgh. He rejected the idea of causality

Druids being converted to Christianity
Engraving depicting Druids being converted to Christianity. The Druids are shown conducting the ritual of oak and mistletoe

Invention of engraving, medieval Europe
Invention of engraving in medieval Europe. This engraver is holding a copperplate depiction of Saint Christopher carrying the Christ Child

16th Century French engraving. Historical print of a mythical sea-horse from De aquatibilus, Pierre Belon (1580)

Reviving the apparently dead
Reviving the dead. 18th century illustration of apparatus for reviving the apparently dead. This consists of a metal water tank, filled with warm water

17th century solar clock
Middle Temple 002

Map of the Garden of Eden
Garden of Eden. 18th century diagram showing the supposed layout of the Garden of Eden. The description in the Bible tells of a garden in a region called Eden with four rivers

Priestleys apparatus for gas experiments
Priestleys apparatus. Engraving showing apparatus used by Joseph Priestley in his experiments on air. The types of air used are fixed air (carbon dioxide)

Weighbridge and hygrometer, 18th century
Page of illustrations from an 18th century magazine. The item labelled II is a design of a weighbridge. The side view (right) has been rotated to appear upright

Water distillation apparatus
Distilling sea water. Drawing of an apparatus designed by one Captain Newland for distilling fresh water from salt water whilst at sea

Nicolas Copernicus, Polish astronomer
Nicolaus Copernicus (1473-1543), Polish astronomer, mathematician, physician and jurist. Despite his numerous responsibilities and interests

Samuel Pufendorf, German jurist
Samuel Pufendorf (1632-94), German jurist. Pufendorf was born at Dorfchemnitz in Saxony and was educated at the University of Leipzig. He started studying theology but soon changed to study law

Perpetual motion machine of von Kranach
Perpetual motion machine. Engraving showing a design for a perpetual motion machine designed by Ulrich von Kranach in 1664

Thomas Bodley, English diplomat
Sir Thomas Bodley (1545-1613), English diplomat and scholar. Bodley was born at Exeter into a Protestant family. During the catholic reign of Mary the family moved to Germany

Sir Joseph Banks, English naturalist
Sir Joseph Banks (1743-1820), British naturalist. Banks was born into a wealthy London family. He was educated at Harrow and Eton

19th Century whale hunt. Historical German engraving of a Russian whaling ship that has harpooned a whale, E. Magdebian (circa 1890)

Water raising engine, 18th century
Illustration showing an engine used to raise water. The weight of water in the lower bucket (A) pulls on the axle of the wheel at the top

Sir William Temple, English statesman
Sir William Temple (1628-99), English statesman and essayist. Temple was born in London and educated at Emmanuel College, Cambridge

Ships and fish from the Red Sea, artwork
Red Sea ships and fish. An engraved page with illustrations of two ships and two types of fish seen in the Red Sea. At top is an Arabic dow or dhow), beneath this is an Egyptian square-rigged ship

Hans Christian Oersted
Portrait of Hans Christian Oersted, a Danish physicist, 1777-1851. Oersted studied physical science and pharmacy in Copenhagen, where he later became professor of physics

18th century science illustrations. A page taken from the Gentlemans Magazine published in 1754. The main object (figure 1 and 2)

Francisco Pizarro, Spanish explorer
Francisco Pizarro (c.1471-1541), Spanish explorer and conquistador. Pizarro accompanied Vasco Nunez de Balboa on his 1513 expedition to cross the Isthmus of Panama

Brewery, 19th century artwork. This is the barley storage room at the brewery of Sevres, France. Workers are filling wheeled containers with barley grains (right)

Wine production, 19th century artwork. Workers in a wine cellar adding grapes to vats and presses. At right, crushing, stomping

The Great Exhibition of 1851, Hyde Park
The Great Exhibition of 1851. Artwork of the transept of The Great Exhibition, held in Hyde Park, London, England, from May to October 1851

Edam production, 19th century artwork. Cheese maker kneading and moulding Edam cheese in the Netherlands. Cheese is a processed food made from proteins and fat present in milk

Canning kitchen, 19th century artwork. Here, the food was cooked before being sealed in cans. The process of canning was a method of food preservation developed in the early 19th century for

Brewery kettle, 19th century cutaway artwork. This the boiling stage where a liquid known as wort is boiled with hops inside a metal container to impart flavour and produce beer

Oil press, 19th century artwork. Workers operating an olive oil press in the south of France. The olives are placed in the press and the lever used to turn the screws and increase the pressure

Milk pasteurization, 19th century artwork. This is an industrial scale bain marie (water bath) used to heat milk in order to prevent microbial growth

Hernando de Soto, Spanish explorer
Hernando de Soto (c.1496-1542), Spanish explorer and conquistador. Soto left Spain in 1914 to travel to the Indies and find a passage through to China

Hydroelectric power, 19th century artwork. This hydroelectric power station, which includes three smokestacks, was located in Lyons, France

Brewery vat, 19th century artwork. Vat being used to cool and ferment the liquid known as wort. The fermentation of wort to produce alcohol is one of the final stages in the production of beer

Distillation apparatus, 18th century. Artwork of the alambic equipment developed by the French chemist Jean-Antoine Chaptal (1756-1832) in 1780

Champagne production, 19th century artwork. Winemakers working in old chalk quarries converted into cellars for champagne storage and production in Reims, France

Arnaldus de Villa Nova, Catalan alchemist
Arnaldus de Villa Nova (1235-1311), Catalan alchemist and physician. Also known as Arnaud de Villeneuve, he was the first to distill wines in France, doing so in 1250

Flour mill, 19th century artwork. During the 19th century, the commune (town) of Corbeil, now within the suburbs of Paris, was a centre of the flour milling industry

Watermill, 19th century artwork. Parts of the watermill are shown in cutaway form to demonstrate the internal workings. The waterwheel (lower right) is driven by flowing water from a river

Distillation apparatus, 19th century cutaway artwork. This is the system developed by the French distiller Isaac Berard circa 1805

Cider production, 19th century artwork. Apples from an orchard (outside door) are being crushed in a horse-driven mill (right)

Oil seed grinding, 19th century artwork. Worker standing beside a mill being used to crush seeds to extract their oil. The seeds are being crushed by two vertical millstones being turned by cogs

James Gillray, British caricaturist
James Gillray (1756-1815), British caricaturist. Gillray was mainly active in London from the 1780s to 1810, producing a large number of caricatures

1835 Fossa Crytoprocta by Edward Lear
Plate 14 from Volume 1 Trans Zool Soc London, 1835, " Notice of a Mammiferous Animal from Madagascar, constituting a New Form among the Viverridous Carnivora" with contemporary hand

1607 Elephant by Topsell age toned
" Of the Elephant" a 1607 engraving with later tinting from Edward Topsells " History of four Footed Beasts"

Morienus the Greek and Khalid ibn Yazid
Engraving depicting Morienus the Greek (left) and King Khalid ibn Yazid (right). Morienus was a recluse, reputed to be a great alchemist

Woodcut of two dragons
Woodcut illustration showing two dragons. This illustration is taken from Deux livres de venins by Jacques Grevin, published at Antwerp in 1568

Fludds wind diagram
The winds of Earth. Diagram depicting winds coming from various directions. Each is associated with an origin, such as Europe or Africa

1835 Maneless Indian Lion by Edward Lear
Plate 24 from Volume 1 Trans. Zool. Soc. London, 1835, " Some Account of the maneless Lion of Guzerat" with contemporary hand colouring as issued

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Capturing moments of bravery and beauty through the art of engraving. From a heroic fireman rescuing a girl from the flames to the intricate details etched onto Marble Hill House, each stroke tells a story. Delve into the enchanting world of hortensia and celestial mechanics, where medieval artwork comes alive on paper. Experience the elegance of a French Lancer in J840005 or witness Copenhagen, the Duke of Wellington's majestic horse in J050173. Plate 113 takes us back to 19th-century France with its exquisite engravings that transport us to another era. Join us at the Waterloo Banquet N970006, where history is immortalized through delicate lines engraved on paper. Travel back in time as we stroll across Old London Bridge in a98_05984, capturing its grandeur forever. Discover the secrets hidden within an alchemical tree as Philosophia reformata unfolds before your eyes. Finally, let Portchester Castle engraving N110146 whisk you away to ancient ruins steeped in mystery and intrigue. Engraving - an art form that preserves memories for generations.