About this sheet
Antique Sugar Apple Botanical Chromolithograph by Hoola van Nooten, c. 1880
A beautiful original antique botanical chromolithograph depicting Annona squamosa L., commonly known as the Sugar Apple, Sweetsop, or Custard Apple. One of the world's most cherished tropical fruits, the Sugar Apple is admired for its distinctive segmented green fruit, creamy aromatic flesh, and sweet flavor. Native to the tropical Americas, it became widely cultivated throughout Southeast Asia, including Java, where it flourished in the warm climate.
The composition illustrates a fruiting branch bearing mature and developing fruits together with finely executed botanical studies of the flower, fruit and seeds. The sculptural fruit and elegant evergreen foliage create a balanced composition that combines scientific precision with exceptional decorative appeal.
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.
The Sugar Apple remains one of the most popular tropical fruits throughout Asia, the Caribbean and South America. Its unusual appearance and delicious fruit have made it a favorite among botanists, gardeners and collectors alike. This original antique print is both an important botanical record and an elegant work of Victorian botanical art.
This is an original antique print, printed circa 1880, and not a modern reproduction or later copy.
Publication:
Fleurs, Fruits et Feuillages Choisis de l'Ile de Java
Printer:
P. De Pannemaeker, Ghent
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.
original antique print, original chromolithograph, botanical print, Annona squamosa, Sugar Apple, Sweetsop, Custard Apple, tropical fruit, exotic fruit, custard fruit, tropical botanical art, Southeast Asian flora, Java, Indonesia, 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 Sugar Apple is one of the most recognizable and desirable fruit subjects in the Hoola van Nooten series. Its sculptural fruit, broad international recognition, and strong decorative appeal justify positioning it in the premium tier alongside Buddha's Hand Citron, Cacao, and Queen's Crape Myrtle.
