1754
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
The Black Muray (Muraenae helenae varietas) is a 1754 ink by Mark Catesby, a Romanticism work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This image shows a black, scaly eel curled around a tangle of orange-brown coral. The eel’s head rests on a green base, while its body loops upward, almost hiding inside the coral’s branches. The coral looks stiff and detailed, with tiny cross-hatching marks to show texture. The artist used a mix of etching and hand coloring to create this precise, almost scientific look. The lines are sharp, and the colors stay flat—no shadows or blending. Next, check out etching to see how artists like Catesby made these crisp lines.
Mark Catesby (24 March 1683 – 23 December 1749) was an English naturalist who studied the flora and fauna of the New World.
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