Botany · 19th century
€ 1 240
One of a kind: this is the sheet in the photographs. Ships from Langweer, the Netherlands.
Good antique condition with age-related toning, occasional foxing and light handling wear consistent with age. Please examine all photographs carefully, as they form part of the description.
A magnificent original antique botanical chromolithograph depicting Musa paradisiaca L., commonly known as the Banana or Plantain. One of the world's oldest cultivated food plants, the banana has been a cornerstone of tropical agriculture for thousands of years and remains among the most important fruit crops on earth. It has long been cultivated throughout Indonesia and the Dutch East Indies, where it formed an essential part of daily life and commerce.
The composition beautifully illustrates a mature bunch of ripening bananas attached to the characteristic pseudostem, together with finely executed botanical studies of the flowers and floral structure. The elegant arrangement, rich golden fruit, and bold architectural form make this one of the most striking and recognizable fruit plates from Berthe Hoola van Nooten's celebrated botanical masterpiece.
The artwork was painted from life on the island of Java by the distinguished Dutch botanical artist Berthe Hoola van Nooten (1817–1892). It was published in her masterpiece, Fleurs, Fruits et Feuillages Choisis de l'Ile de Java, widely regarded as one of the finest nineteenth-century botanical publications devoted to the flora of the Dutch East Indies. Printed in rich chromolithography by P. De Pannemaeker of Ghent, this plate was issued in the third edition published in Brussels by Librairie Européenne C. Muquardt around 1880.
Bananas have become one of the world's most universally recognized fruits, valued not only for their nutritional importance but also for their symbolic association with tropical landscapes. This original antique print combines botanical precision, historical significance, and outstanding decorative appeal, making it one of the finest fruit subjects in the Hoola van Nooten series.
This is an original antique print, printed circa 1880, and not a modern reproduction or later copy.
Artist:
Berthe Hoola van Nooten (1817–1892)
Publication:
Fleurs, Fruits et Feuillages Choisis de l'Ile de Java
Publisher:
Librairie Européenne C. Muquardt, Brussels
Printer:
P. De Pannemaeker, Ghent
Date:
Circa 1880
Medium:
Original chromolithograph on wove paper.
Condition:
Good antique condition with age-related toning, occasional foxing and light handling wear consistent with age. Please examine all photographs carefully, as they form part of the description.
Please note that any framed images are for display inspiration only. The print is sold unframed. Framed mock-ups are not always shown to exact scale and are intended solely to illustrate how the artwork may look when displayed.
Keywords:
original antique print, original chromolithograph, botanical print, Musa paradisiaca, banana, plantain, banana tree, tropical fruit, Indonesian botanical art, Java, Southeast Asian flora, Dutch East Indies, Berthe Hoola van Nooten, Victorian botanical illustration, nineteenth century botanical print, antique botanical wall art, natural history print, scientific illustration, P. De Pannemaeker, Muquardt Brussels, museum quality botanical art, rare botanical print, collectible botanical print, circa 1880
The banana is one of the most iconic tropical plants in the world, and this composition—with its beautifully ripened fruit and detailed botanical studies—is among the strongest commercial subjects in the Hoola van Nooten series. Its universal recognition and excellent decorative appeal justify positioning it in the premium tier alongside Mango, Durian, White Cacao, Papaya, and Royal Poinciana.
