Lot 97: Study of tropical rainforest

Joseph Selleny (1824-1875)
Study of tropical rainforest
inscribed and dated 'Milu 18 März' (lower right)
pencil, watercolour and bodycolour on paper
19 x 12in. (48.3 x 31.7cm.)

Selleny was appointed artist to the voyage of the Austrian frigate Novara which circumnavigated the world between 1857 and 1859. Selleny is thought to have produced in the region of two thousand sketches during the voyage, a selection of which were used to illustrate Scherzer's Reise der Östereichischen Fregatte Novara um die Erde, in den Jahren 1857, 1858, 1859, unter den Befehlen des Commodore B. von Wüllersdorf-Urbair , Vienna, 1861-62 (and its companion edition in English). For a recent survey of his work on the voyage, see the exhibition catalogue Der Freie Horizont, Die Weltumseglung der Novara und Maximilians Mexikanischer Traum , Landesmuseum Schloss Tirol, July-Nov. 2004. His voyage work is held in the collections of the Graphische Sammlung Albertina and Naturhistorisches Museum (Sammlung Frauenfeld, Selleny), Vienna.