Edward Donovan bol veľmi úspešný autor celej série prírodovedných titulov, ako napríklad Natural History of British Birds (1792-1797), Natural History of British Insects (1792-1813), History of British Fishes (1802-1808) a pod.
Jeho najznámejšie entomologické diela o exotickom hmyze sú An Epitome of the Natural History of the Insects of China... (1798) a An Epitome of the Natural History of the Insects of New Holland, New Zealand, New Guinea... (1805) a An Epitome of the Natural History of the insects of India, and the islands in the Indian Seas.
Okrem občasných výletov po území Anglicka a po Walese Donovan nikdy neopustil Londýn. Jeho práce o exotickom hmyze boli založené na vzorkách a exemplároch, ktoré zozbieral Joseph Banks a William Bayly na druhej a tretej plavbe Jamesa Cooka, ale i exemplárov zo zbierok Dru Druryho a ďalších súkromných zbierok, rovnako ako aj jedincov z jeho vlastného múzea. Väčšina jeho tabulí s hmyzom zachytáva motýle spoločne s exotickými rastlinami. Donovanovi sa často vyčíta od niektorých autorov, že v svojich prácach používal intenzívne farby a jeho jedinci hmyzu sú nakreslení neskutočne a príliš „farebne“.
Pre svoju prácu An Epitome of the Natural History of the Insects of China získal exempláre a informácie od Georgea Macartneyho, ktorý pôsobil ako britský vyslanec v Číne.
Zdroj exemplárov pre jeho prácu: An Epitome of the Natural History of the insects of India, and the islands in the Indian Seas je menej jasná. Táto práca je prvá ilustrovaná publikácia, ktorá sa zaoberá hmyzomIndie.
Donovanove vysoké náklady za drahé nákupy vzácnych exemplárov exotického hmyzu a iných prírodnín, ako i bezohľadnosť nakladateľov, ktorí vydávali jeho práce spoločne s poklesom anglickej ekonomiky po Napoleonských vojnách spôsobili, že musel ukončiť aktivity svojho múzea v roku 1817 a exponáty svojej zbierky predal na dražbe v roku 1818. Snažil sa aj potom pokračovať v publikovaniu svojich prírodovedných prác, ale jeho finančná situácia sa zhoršovala a v roku 1833 zverejnil prosbu o finančné prostriedky od svojich stúpencov a priaznivcov. Napriek tomu Edward Donovan zomrel bez oficiálneho ohodnotenia a uznania svojej práce a bez finančných prostriedkov v roku 1837. Jeho portrét sa nezachoval.
Bibliografia (čiastočná)
The natural history of British insects explaining them in their several states, with the periods of their transformations, their food, oeconomy, &c. together with the history of such minute insects as require investigation by the microscope, the whole illustrated by coloured figures, designed and executed from living specimens London Printed for the author, and for F. and C. Rivington, 1792-1813.16 volumes with a total of 576 plates (568 coloured).
The Natural History of British Birds; or, a Selection of the most Rare, Beautiful, and Interesting Birds which inhabit this country 10 volumes with a total of 244 plates, London, 1794-1819.
The Naturalist’s Repository, or Miscellany of exotic Natural History Exhibiting Rare and Beautiful Specimens of Foreign Brids, Insects, Shells, Quadrupeds, Fish and Marine Productions. 5 volumes with a total of 180 plates, London, 1822-1827.
The Natural History of British Shells, including Figures and Descriptions of all the Species Hitherto Discovered in Great Britain, Systematically Arranged in the Linnean Manner, with Scientific and General Observations on Each.,, 5 volumes.
An Epitome of the Natural History of the insects of India, and the islands in the Indian Seas: Comprising upwards to two hundred and fifty figures and descriptions of the most singular and beautiful species, selected chiefly from those recently discovered, and which have not appeared in the works of any preceding author. The figures are accurately drawn, engraved, and coloured, from specimens of the insects; the descriptions are arranged according to the system of Linnaeus ; with references to the writings of Fabricius, and other systematic authors. Printed for the Author by T. Bensley, London.
An Epitome of the Natural History of the Insects of China Comprising Figures and Descriptions of Upwards of One Hundred New, Singular, and Beautiful Species; Together with some that are of Importance in Medicine, Domestic Economy, &c London: Printed for the Author, by T. Bensley, 1798.
An Epitome of the Natural History of the Insects of New Holland, New Zealand, New Guinea, Otaheite, and other islands in the Indian, Southern and Pacific Oceans: including the figures and descriptions of one hundred and fifty-three species of the more splendid, beautiful, and interesting insects, hitherto discovered in those countries, and which for the most part have not appeared in the works of any preceding author. The figures are correctly delineated from specimens of the insects; and with the descriptions are arranged according to the Linnean system, with reference to the writings of Fabricius and other entomologists". London. 1805.
Zdroje informácií o autorovi
Gilbert, P.: 2000, Butterfly Collectors and Painters. Four centuries of colour plates from The Library Collections of The Natural History Museum, London. Singapore, Beaumont Publishing Pte Ltd.
Jackson, C. E.: 1985, Bird Etchings. The Illustrators and Their Books, 1655-1855. Cornell University Press.
Lisney, A. A.: 1960, Bibliography of British Lepidoptera 1608-1799. London
Musgrave, A.: 1932, Bibliography of Australian Entomology 1775 - 1930. Sydney.
Salmon, M. A.: 2000, The Aurelian Legacy. British Butterflies and their Collectors. Martins, Great Horkesley: Harley Books.
Zdroj
Tento článok je čiastočný alebo úplný preklad článku Edward Donovan na českej Wikipédii.
