Triceratops | 1896

Description

Restored from a late 19th-century scientific plate, this vintage illustration of the Triceratops (Triceratops prorsus) is presented with its original accompanying text to evoke the look and feel of a Victorian-era newspaper or illustrated science journal. The engraving shows the massive, four-footed herbivore advancing through a sparse Cretaceous landscape, its three prominent horns and broad frill rendered according to contemporary scientific understanding. The surrounding text is reproduced from Extinct Monsters: A Popular Account of Some of the Larger Forms of Ancient Animal Life by Henry Neville Hutchinson, the book in which these illustrations were first published. Carefully restored to preserve period typography, tonal depth, and engraved linework, this print combines early paleontological imagery and original historical text, creating a distinctive natural history artwork with a deliberate newspaper-style presentation.

Unframed Print

Size: A4 (297x210mm)  |  9x12" (8.3x11.7")

Material: Fine art Hahnemühle German Etching paper, 310 gsm — textured surface, warm/natural white, velvet matt finish

Printing technique: Museum-quality giclée with water-based pigment inks

Eco credentials

• Water-based inks
• Sustainably sourced paper
• Local fulfilment to reduce carbon emissions
• Plastic-free product

About the artist

Joseph Smit (1836–1929) was a Dutch natural history illustrator celebrated for his detailed and authoritative depictions of animals, both living and extinct. Working primarily in Britain, he produced engravings and lithographic plates for many leading 19th-century zoological and paleontological publications. His illustrations are noted for their clarity, anatomical care, and restrained artistry, helping to shape Victorian visual understandings of prehistoric life and the natural world.