%eadnotat; ]> Charles Alexandre Lesueur Printing Plates1817-1825 Ewell Sale Stewart Library Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia 2002 EAD tagging 09/10/2002. ENG Charles Alexandre Lesueur Printing Plates Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia 09/10/2002Cataloging made possible by The Getty Grant Foundation. Coll. 938 Lesueur, Charles Alexandre, 1778-1846 Charles Alexandre Lesueur printing plates 1817-1825 24 items Ewell Sale Stewart Library, Academy of Natural Sciences
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Charles Alexandre Lesueur, 1778-1846, artist and naturalist, participated in Napoleon's expedition to Australia (1800-1804), and joined William Maclure in his geologic survey of Europe, the West Indies and the Eastern United States (1815-1817). Upon returning to Philadelphia, Lesueur and Maclure wrote out the results of their travels, publishing many scientific papers in the Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, with Lesueur also publishing findings from his Australian expedition. This collection consists of the printing plates made or drawn by Lesueur to illustrate the scientific articles published by himself, reporting on his expeditions, as well as others in the Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences, from 1817-1825.

Charles Alexandre Lesueur, artist and naturalist, was born on January 1, 1778, at Le Havre, France. Little is known of his childhood or education, including where he gained his training in art. Only the School of Hydrography at Le Havre, whose mission was training future naval cadets, listed classes in drawing during the period Lesueur lived there. However, it is not known if he ever attended this school.

In the summer of 1800 Napoleon ordered the organization of an expedition to Australia in order to expand France's influence by mapping the terrain and naming the places. Lesueur enlisted as assistant gunner, since all artists' jobs were taken. After many arduous months of sickness and deaths, most of the crew of sailors, scientists, and artists was gone, including the commander in chief. In spite of these harships, Lesueur and Nicholas Martin Petit (1777-1804) carried on with the artists' tasks, while Francois Péron (1775-1810) pursued the scientific and geographic observations. Upon returning to France in 1804, Péron and Lesueur brought back a collection of over 100,000 specimens of which 2,500 were new species. Lesueur and Péron were commissioned by Napoleon in 1807 to produce an account of the voyage, and published the first volume, containing forty-one plates of profiles of coasts and maps, scenes of the Australian areas, flora and fauna, and ethnographic subjects.

Many years following the expedition, Lesueur became acquainted with William Maclure (1763-1840), an eminent geologist and one of the founders of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, while the latter was visiting Paris. Maclure was in search of a field naturalist and travelling companion on his geological tour of the West Indies and the United States. Lesueur agreed to accompany him for 2 years. The two left from Paris in August of 1815. After a visit to Stonehenge, they sailed to the West Indies, where Maclure engaged in geologcial studies, and Lesueur collected natural history specimens and produced over 100 sketches of West Indies' zoological and mineralogical subjects. In the spring of the following year, Maclure and Lesueur arrived in Philadelphia, only to embark on a five-month investigation of the northeastern United States and Great lakes region. Lesueur collected specimens, filling his sketchbooks. He had already found the study of ichthyology important, and these travels reinforced his intention to investigate and write about the fish of the U.S.

Upon returning to Philadelphia, Lesueur and Maclure wrote out the results of their travels, publishing many scientific papers in the Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, with Lesueur also published findings from his Australian expedition. Many of Lesueur's engravings fill the Journal, illustrating his own papers, as well as those of other scientists, such as Thomas Nuttall and Thomas Say. Most of the papers announce the discovery of new specimens, describing and illustrating fish or plant life for the first time. Lesueur made his engravings on copper, which he printed on his own press, supplied by Maclure. During this time of heavy publication, Lesueur became a curator for the Academy (1817) and remained so until 1825.

Lesueur continued to make expeditions through the U.S., participated in the idealistic community at New Harmony, Indiana, and finally returned to France in 1837. Upon returning to France, he devoted his time to scholarly activities at the Paris Museum, giving painting instruction, and mastering the technique of lithography. He was presented with the honor of Chevalier de l'Ordre Royal de la Légion d'Honneur as recognition of his years in service of science, and was named curator of the newly reestablished museum at Le Havre in March of 1846. He died on December 12, 1846, and is buried at Le Havre.

This collection consists of 23 copper and one zinc printing plates depicting mostly fish life from Lesueur's travels through the United States, the West Indies with William Maclure, and the Australian expedition. Illustrations also include fossil shells and plant life, as well as one instance of human anatomy (jugular vein), a lizard (Cyclura teres), and a rodent (Neotoma floridana). The plates illustrate scientific papers written by not only Lesueur, but Thomas Say, Thomas Nuttall, and others from the first series of the Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, 1817-1825. Most illustrate specimens for the first time. Only the zinc plate was never published in the Journal.

Lesueur drew and engraved the majority of the plates, but also included are plates drawn by Lesueur but engraved others: 4 by Francis Kearny, 1785-1837, 1 by Alexander Lawson, 1 by Butaud, and 1 by Kness, Young & Co. Also includes one plate engraved by Lesueur but drawn by William E. Horner, 1793-1853, and one drawn by Lesueur and Alexander Rider, together.

Arranged in order of publication.

PlantsCrustacea--United StatesShells--MississippiShells--MarylandFishesFishes--United StatesFishes--West Indies Printing plates--19th centuryKearny, Francis, 1785-1837Lawson, AlexanderHorner, William E. (William Edmonds), 1793-1853ButaudRider, Alexander Kness, Young & Co.

Information on reproduction rights and services available in the library or on the web at http://www.ansp.org/library/reproductions.php

Cite as: Collection 938. Charles Alexandre Lesueur Printing Plates. Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia.

Archived by the Academy.

Finding aid created by Mary Hammer, 2002.

Charles Alexandre Lesueur Illustrations (coll. 136).

Regarding the unpublished zinc plate: Phillips, Maurice E. "An unpublished fish plate by Lesueur." Notulae Naturae 267 (1955): 1-4. Vail, R.W.G. The American sketchbooks of Charles Alexandre Lesueur. Worcester : American Antiquarian Society, 1938. 1[Firola] / C.A. Lesueur, d. et sc., [1817?] 1 printing plate : copper ; 14 x 23 cm.

Lesueur, C.A. "Description of six new species of the genus Firola, observed by Mssrs. Lesueur and Péron in the Mediterranean Sea, in the months of March and April, 1809." JANSP 1 (1817):3-8, pl. 1.

2[Firoloida] / C.A. Lesueur del., [1817?] 1 printing plate : copper ; 14 x 23 cm.

Lesueur, C.A. "Characters of a new genus, and descriptions of three new species upon which it is formed, discovered in the Atlantic ocean, in the months of March and April, 1816." JANSP 1 (1817):37-41, pl. 2.

Includes a copy of the print.

3[Cecidomyia and Ceraphron] ; [Crustacea] / C.A. LeSueur d & sculp., [1817?] 1 printing plate : copper ; 22 x 27 cm.

Two separate plates engraved on one printing plate.

Say, Thomas. "An account of the crustacea of the United States." JANSP 1 (1817):57-64, pl. 3, 4.

4Crypta [and] Hemianthus / C.A. Lesueur deli. ; Kness, Young & Co. sc., [1817?]1 printing plate : copper ; 24 x 15 cm.

Nuttall, Thomas. "An account of two new genera of plants, and of a species of Tillaea and Limosella, recently discovered on the banks of the Delaware, in the vicinity of Philadelphia." JANSP 1 (1817):111-134, pl. 6.

5[Actinia] ; [Zoanthus mamillifera] /C.A. Lesueur inc. & imp., [1817?] 1 printing plate : copper ; 21 x 27 cm.

Two separate plates engraved on one printing plate.

Lesueur, C.A. "Observations on several species of the genus Actinia." JANSP 1 (1817):169-189, pl. 7-8.

 6Collinsia / Lesueur deli. ; Butaud sculp., [1817?] 1 printing plate : copper ; 22 x 14 cm.

Nuttall, Thomas. "Description of Collinsia, a new genus of plants." JANSP 1 (1817): 189-192, pl. 9.

7[Hydrostatic balance] ; [Maclurite] / C.A. Lesueur del. & sculp., [1818?] 1 printing plate : copper ; 21 x 27 cm.

Two separate plates engraved on one printing plate.

"Report of a committee on a new hydrostatic balance, invented by Isaiah Lukens, and submitted to the Academy." JANSP 1 (1818):260-261, pl. 12.

Lesueur, C.A. "Observations on a new genus of fossil shells." JANSP 1 (1818):310-313, pl. 13.

 8[Cava and jugular veins] / Horner deli. ; C.A. Lesueur inci., [1818?] 1 printing plate : copper ; 13 x 21 cm.

Horner, William E. "A case of unusual arrangement in the ascending cava and in the external jugular veins of the human subject." JANSP 1 (1818):401-405, pl. 16.

9Lernaea / C.A. Lesueur, sc., [1824?] 1 printing plate : copper ; 17 x 13 cm.

C.A. Lesueur. "On three new species of parasitic vermes, belonging to the Linnean genus Lernaea." JANSP 3 (1824):286-293, pl. 11.

10S. sayanus / Lesueur del. ; F.Kearny, [1824?] 1 printing plate : copper ; 14 x 23 cm.

Gilliams, J. "Description of a new species of fish of the Linnean genus Perca." JANSP 4 (1824): 80-82, pl. 3.

11[Fossil shells] / Lesueur del. ; F. Kearny sc., [1824?] 1 printing plate : copper ; 14 x 23 cm.

1. Turritella plebeia 2. Natica interna 3. Buccinum porcinum 4. _ aratum 5. Fusus 4. _ costatus 6. Dispotaea grandis 7. Fusus cinereus.

Say, Thomas. "An account of some of the fossil shells of Maryland." JANSP 4 (1824): 124-155, pl. 7.

Coll. 136 contains original drawing.

12[Fossil shells] / Lesueur del.,[1824?] 1 printing plate : copper ; 23 x 14 cm.

1. Fissurella redimicula 2. Ostrea compressirostra 3. Dentalium attenuatum 4. Serpula granifera.

JANSP 4 (1824): pl. 8.

Coll. 136 contains original drawing.

13[Fossil shells] / Lesueur del., [1824?] 1 printing plate : copper ; 23 x 14 cm.

1. Pecten jeffersonius 2. _ clintonius 3. _ septenarius 4. _ Plicatula marginata 5. Astarte undulata 6. _ vicina

JANSP 4 (1824): pl. 9.

Coll. 136 contains original drawing.

14[Fossil shells] / Lesueur del., [1824?] 1 printing plate : copper ; 23 x 14 cm.

1. Arca arata 2. _ centenaria 3. _ incile 4. Pectunculus subovatus 5. Nucula laevis 6. _ concentrica 7. Tellina aequistriata 8. Lucina contracta

JANSP 4 (1824): pl. 10.

Coll. 136 contains original drawing.

15[Fossil shells] / Lesueur del., [1824?] 1 printing plate : copper ; 23 x 14 cm.

1. Isocardia fraterna 2. Crassatella undulata.

JANSP 4 (1824): pl. 11.

16[Fossil shells] / Lesueur del., [1824?] 1 printing plate : copper ; 23 x 14 cm.

1. Venericardia granulata 2. Venus deformis 3. Cytheria convexa.

JANSP 4 (1824): pl. 12.

17[Fossil shells] / Lesueur del., [1824?] 1 printing plate : copper ; 23 x 14 cm.

1. Lucina cribraria 2. Corbula cuneata 3. _ inequale 4. Panopaea reflexa

JANSP 4 (1824): pl. 13.

Coll. 136 contains original drawing.

18Cyclura teres / C.A. Lesueur del. ; F. Kearny sc., [1825?] 1 printing plate : copper ; 14 x 23 cm.

Harlan, Richard. "Description of two species of Linnean Lacerta, not before described, and construction of the new genus Cyclura." JANSP 4 (1825):242-251, pl. 16.

19Neotoma floridana / drawn by C.A. Lesueur ; engraved by A. Lawson, [1825?] -- Philad[elphi]a. 1 printing plate : copper ; 16 x 24 cm.

T. Say and G. Ord. "A new genus of mammalia proposed, and a description of the species upon which it is founded." JANSP 4 (1825):345-349, pl. 21.

Coll. 136 contains print.

20[Neotoma floridana, details of jaw] / drawn by Rider & Lesueur ; F. Kearny sc., [1825?] 1 printing plate : copper ; 23 x 14 cm.

JANSP 4 (1825):345-349, pl. 22.

21Paradexus boltoni / C.A. Lesueur delin., [1825?] 1 printing plate : copper ; 23 x 14 cm.

Bigsby, J.J. "Description of a new species of trilobite." JANSP 4 (1824): 365-368pl. 23.

Coll. 136 contains original drawing.

22Salmo microps ; Saurus minutus / Lesueur del. et sc., [1825?] 1 printing plate : copper ; 27 x 21 cm.

Two separate plates engraved on one printing plate.

Lesueur, C.A. "Description of a new fish of the genus salmo." JANSP 5 (1825):48-51, pl. 3.

Lesueur, C.A. "Description of a new species of the genus Saurus." JANSP 5 (1825):118-119, pl. 5.

23Muraenophis / C.A. Lesueur del. & sc., [1825?] 1 printing plate : copper ; 17 x 25 cm.

Lesueur, C.A. "Description of four new species of Muraenophis." JANSP 5 (1825):107-109, pl. 4.

24Head of B[elona] crocodila ; E. equirostrum ; E. scutellatum / C.A.L. [indecipherable], [1821?] 1 printing plate : zinc ; 20 x 29 cm.

"XI" -- on plate, upper left.

Originally intended for, but not published in, Lesueur's "Observations on several genera and species of fish, belonging to the natural family of the Esoces." JANSP 2 (1821) 124-138.

For more information, see: Phillips, Maurice E. "An unpublished fish plate by Lesueur." Notulae Naturae 267 (1955): 1-4.

Coll. 136 contains the original drawing of the head of Belona crocodila.