The Kraken supposed a sepia or cuttle-fish from Denys Montfort - engraved hand-coloured print by W. Jardine, 1833 art poster canvas gift

"The Kraken supposed a sepia or cuttle-fish from Denys Montfort" - an antique engraved print published by William Jardine in "The Naturalist's Library", in 1833-1843.

Pierre Denys de Montfort (1766–1820) was a French naturalist, in particular a malacologist, remembered today for his pioneering inquiries into the existence of the gigantic octopus Architeuthis. He was inspired by a description from 1783 of an eight-metre long tentacle found in the mouth of a sperm whale. He describes an account of a merchant ship's crew of an attack by a giant sea monster off the coast of Angola: "An enormous cuttle-fish suddenly threw its arms across the vessel, and it was on the pint of dragging it to the bottom, when the continuous efforts of the crew succeeded in cutting off the tentacula with swords and hatchets. During the period of their greatest danger, they invoked the aid of St Thomas, and being successful in freeing themselves from their dreadful opponent, on their return home they went in procession to the chapel (St Thomas chapel at St. Malo, France), and offered up their thanksgivings. They also procured a painter to represent, as accurately as possible, their encounter, and the danger which at the moment threatened the termination of their existence."

Sir William Jardine, 7th Baronet of Applegarth (1800 – 1874) was a Scottish naturalist. Jardine made natural history available to all levels of Victorian society by editing the hugely popular forty volumes of The Naturalist's Library (1833–1843) issued and published by his brother in law, the Edinburgh printer and engraver, William Home Lizars.

This poster is a high quality "giclée" reproduction of a restored antique original, custom-printed on Standard Single-weight Matt Coated art paper 140gsm or  Heavyweight Matt Coated art paper 230gsm (more of a thin card density), or superb Epson Matt Canvas 320gsm, according to your choice. We use the latest UltraChromeHDX pigment inks which guarantee 60 years of colour  permanence (up to 200 years fade-proof for colour prints).  This poster is suitable for mounting and framing, as well as direct display on a wall.