Antique Java Plum Botanical Chromolithograph by Hoola van Nooten, c. 1880
Description:
A beautiful original antique botanical chromolithograph depicting Syzygium jambolanum Dec., now generally accepted as Syzygium cumini, commonly known as the Java Plum, Java Black Plum, Jamun, Jambolan, or Malabar Plum. One of the most important tropical fruit trees of South and Southeast Asia, the species is celebrated for its glossy evergreen foliage and abundant clusters of deep purple fruits.
Native to the Indian subcontinent, the Java Plum became widely established throughout Indonesia and the Dutch East Indies, where it was cultivated for its sweet yet pleasantly astringent fruit. Rich in colour and flavour, the fruit has long been enjoyed fresh, preserved, or used in traditional beverages and has also been valued in traditional medicine for centuries.
The composition beautifully illustrates fruiting branches laden with ripening and mature fruits, together with detailed botanical studies of the flowers, seed, and fruit in section. The elegant arrangement of the rich purple fruit against the lustrous green foliage makes this one of the most refined and decorative fruit plates in Berthe Hoola van Nooten's celebrated botanical masterpiece.
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.
Today, the Java Plum remains one of the most admired tropical fruit trees throughout Indonesia, India, Malaysia and beyond. This original antique print combines botanical importance with timeless decorative appeal and is an outstanding example of Victorian botanical art.
This is an original antique print, printed circa 1880, and not a modern reproduction or later copy.
Artist:
Berthe Hoola van Nooten (1817–1892)
Publication:
Fleurs, Fruits et Feuillages Choisis de l'Ile de Java
Publisher:
Librairie Européenne C. Muquardt, Brussels
Printer:
P. De Pannemaeker, Ghent
Date:
Circa 1880
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.
Keywords:
original antique print, original chromolithograph, botanical print, Syzygium cumini, Syzygium jambolanum, Java Plum, Jamun, Jambolan, Java Black Plum, Malabar Plum, tropical fruit, exotic fruit, Indonesian botanical art, 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
This is a desirable fruit subject with strong appeal throughout Asia due to the popularity of the Java Plum. While slightly less iconic than Mango, Cashew or Durian, it is a handsome and recognizable tropical fruit plate that fits comfortably in the upper-middle tier of the Hoola van Nooten series.
