THREE TYPES OF ARTWORK USED TO ILLUSTRATE THE GEOLOGY OF RUSSIA (1845)

In 1845 Roderick Murchison, Edouard de Verneuil and Alexander von Keyserling published 600 copies of The Geology of Russia in two volumes. Volume 1 (Geology) was written by Murchison and published in London by John Murray. Volume 2 (Palaeontology) was compiled by de Verneuil and published in Paris by P. Bertrand. Both volumes rely heavily on artwork to illustrate the observations made during the extensive Russian field seasons of 1840 and 1841, as well as subsequent travels in Poland, Germany, Denmark, Norway and Sweden, and analysis of specimens in the laboratory. Volume 1 is liberally illustrated by 83 woodcuts, 12 lithographs, and 7 engraved copper plates. Many of the woodcuts were modified from sketches in Murchison’s field notebooks. The 12 lithographs originated as watercolor sketches made by Murchison during the Russian fieldwork. The engraved copper plates comprise 5 sets of cross-sections as well as 2 geologic maps. Plate 6, the “Geologic Map of Russia in Europe and the Ural Mountains”, has been called the finest example of a hand-colored geologic map ever produced. It was engraved, printed and revised by John Arrowsmith in 4 states between 1845 and 1848. Volume 2 is illustrated by 46 lithographs made by the artists Thiolat and J. Delarue and printed by Lemercier in Paris, and 4 engraved copper plates of Paleozoic plants created by G. B. Sowerby. Each type of illustration likely was chosen for its utility, image quality, and cost. For example, woodcut blocks could be assembled with type blocks when printing using a hand press. Copper plate engravings produced the high resolution linework essential for maps and cross-sections. Lithographs provided the most painterly, rapid, and low-cost means of illustrating fossils then available. Clearly de Verneuil was aware of the advantages of lithography as he relied on it nearly exclusively in Volume 2. Perhaps Murchison became aware of the advantages of lithography only late in the production of Volume 1 as the 12 lithographs are not paginated, and were likely an afterthought.