Original Antique Rambutan Botanical Chromolithograph by Hoola van Nooten, c.1880

€ 795

Original antique · The actual sheet photographed · Certificate of authenticity on request · Sold unframed · Worldwide shipping from € 15 (rates)

Date: 1880
Mapmaker / artist: After Berthe Hoola van Nooten (1817–1892)
Publisher: G. Severeyns, Brussels
Sheet size: 55.5 × 40 cm (21.9 × 15.7 in)
Condition: Good
Reference: BG-14326-7

What the condition grades mean

Excellent: Bright and clean, with no faults worth mentioning.
Very good: Only light signs of age, such as faint toning.
Good: Normal signs of age for a sheet of this period: toning, some foxing, small marks or neat old repairs.
Fair: Clear faults such as staining, tears or repairs, priced to match.

Every fault we see is written in the condition note, and the whole sheet is shown uncropped in the photos.

Condition

Good antique condition with age-related toning and minor foxing consistent with age. Please study the photographs carefully.

About this sheet

An original antique botanical chromolithograph depicting Nephelium lappaceum, the Rambutan, one of the most iconic tropical fruits of Southeast Asia. The plate was painted from nature by Berthe Hoola van Nooten and published in the third edition of Fleurs, Fruits et Feuillages Choisis de la Flore et de la Pomone de l'Ile de Java, issued by G. Severeyns in Brussels around 1880.

This richly detailed composition illustrates a fruiting branch laden with ripe rambutans, alongside botanical studies of the flowers and seeds. The vibrant crimson fruits, covered with their distinctive soft, hair-like spines, contrast beautifully with the lush green foliage, making this one of the most decorative plates from the celebrated series.

Native to Indonesia, Malaysia and surrounding tropical regions, the rambutan has been cultivated for centuries and remains one of the best-known fruits of the Malay Archipelago. Its name derives from the Malay word "rambut," meaning "hair," referring to the fruit's unusual appearance. Berthe Hoola van Nooten's botanical illustrations are renowned for their scientific precision combined with exceptional artistic beauty, making them among the finest chromolithographs of the Victorian era.

Printed using the sophisticated chromolithographic process, the plate achieves remarkable depth, vivid color and subtle tonal gradations that closely emulate the original watercolor paintings.

Presented unframed. Images showing the print in a frame are for inspiration only. The frame is not included and may not be to scale.

Good antique condition with age-related toning and minor foxing consistent with age. Please study the photographs carefully.

Circa 1880

Medium:
Original chromolithograph on paper with original hand-finished color.