Plate from Other Discoveries Made on the Moon by Sigr. Herschell [sic]
On loan to The Met
This work of art is currently on loan to the museum.In August 1835, the New York Sun published a series of satirical articles claiming that the renowned astronomer John Herschel had observed life on the moon through his telescope at the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa. Many readers were convinced by the descriptions of "a gorgeous land of enchantment" populated by tiny zebras and bison, unicorn-like goats, bipedal beavers, and humanoid creatures with copper-colored hair and bat wings. The series, which later became known as the Great Moon Hoax, was an international media sensation and inspired many artists’ interpretations, such as this color lithograph depicting lunar flora and fauna.
Artwork Details
- Title: Plate from Other Discoveries Made on the Moon by Sigr. Herschell [sic]
- Artist: Leopoldo Galluzzo (Italian, active 1830s)
- Publisher: Litr. Fergolic
- Date: ca. 1836
- Medium: Lithograph with applied color
- Dimensions: Sheet: 18 1/2 × 13 5/16 in. (47 × 33.8 cm)
Glazing: 25 × 20 in. (63.5 × 50.8 cm) - Classification: Prints
- Credit Line: Smithsonian Institution Libraries, Washington, D.C. (NX650 .M6S42 folio)
- Curatorial Department: Photographs