{"product_id":"spot-leiostomus-xanthurus-by-john-l-petrie-1898","title":"Spot (Leiostomus xanthurus) by John L. Petrie, 1898","description":"\u003cp\u003eJohn L. Petrie’s The Spot, or Lafayette, Leiostomus xanthurus (1898) is a luminous Victorian zoological illustration that marries scientific rigor with painterly grace. Created for William C. Harris’s ambitious series The Fishes of North America, Petrie’s plate captures the Spot—also known historically as the Lafayette—with extraordinary fidelity, presenting its anatomy, markings, and sheen as though seen moments after being lifted from the water. This is realism at its most meticulous: a subject portrayed without sentimentality, yet with palpable life, reflecting a late-19th-century fascination with nature observed directly from life.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOffered here as a high-quality fine art print by The Unique Maps Co., this piece is available on acid-free archival paper or on artist’s cotton canvas. Choose from a range of sizes to suit intimate study corners or statement gallery walls. Optional framing and matting are available, and we can personalize your print with a discreet titleplate or inscription. Custom sizing and curated pairings with companion plates from the period are also available on request.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAbout the artist: John L. Petrie was an American natural-history illustrator active in the 1890s, contributing to a landmark era when art and science converged to document the country’s flora and fauna with unprecedented accuracy. Working closely with Harris, Petrie painted from freshly collected specimens to preserve true coloration before it faded—an approach that distinguished these plates from earlier, more generalized depictions. His work stands among the most exacting and elegant examples of late-Victorian chromolithography.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAbout the subject: The Spot (Leiostomus xanthurus)—often called the Lafayette—inhabits coastal estuaries and nearshore waters along the Atlantic seaboard. The fish is readily identified by the small, dark spot near the upper pectoral region and the subtle striping that ripples down the body. Petrie’s plate emphasizes these field marks with clarity, making the illustration both a study resource and a timeless decorative object for anyone drawn to marine life and the history of American natural science.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eColor and style: Rendered in a naturalistic palette of greens, yellows, and soft browns, the fish seems to hover in a gently graded wash that suggests shallow, sunlit water. Smooth, blended strokes create a pearly sheen across the scales, while sharply defined stripes and the characteristic shoulder spot provide a crisp counterpoint to the luminous body. The chromolithographic process—layering multiple stones for successive tones—yields exceptional depth and nuance, giving the fins a translucent glow and the flanks a warm, almost metallic life. The result is a piece that reads as both specimen and ornament: precise enough for study, beautiful enough for display.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhether styled in a coastal living room, a study lined with natural-history volumes, or a modern gallery wall, this print offers quiet sophistication and enduring educational value. It makes a thoughtful gift for anglers and ichthyology enthusiasts, graduates in the sciences, and anyone who treasures the American coastline—an inspired choice for birthdays, Christmas, Father’s Day, Mother’s Day, or a housewarming for someone who has recently traveled to the shore.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIf you're not sure what size to order, or you're looking for a custom order of some kind \u003cspan\u003e–\u003c\/span\u003e a different size, a different colour, a special frame \u003cspan\u003e–\u003c\/span\u003e then please \u003ca href=\"\/de\/pages\/contact-us\"\u003econtact me\u003c\/a\u003e. I usually respond within a few minutes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou can see an example of my fine art personalisation service in the fifth image. Zoom in and take a look. My personalised artwork is always very well received. Take a look at \u003ca href=\"\/de\/pages\/map-personalisation\"\u003emore examples of personalisation\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou can also choose to \u003cem\u003eage\u003c\/em\u003e your art print to make it look older. This is popular amongst my customers who want their artwork to look like an older, antique print. You can see an example of ageing in the sixth product image, or go ahead and check out \u003ca href=\"\/de\/pages\/sepia-aged-maps\"\u003elots of examples of other aged artwork\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe model in the listing images is holding the 36x20in (90x50cm) version of this art print.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI can print and frame this beautiful piece of art at sizes up to 3 metres (10ft). If you are looking for a size or framing option that isn't available online, please \u003ca href=\"\/de\/pages\/contact-us\" data-mce-href=\"\/de\/pages\/contact-us\"\u003eget in touch\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis artwork is available as a giclée print on acid free archival matte paper, or you can buy it framed. My \u003ca href=\"\/de\/pages\/map-finishes-framed-canvas\"\u003estandard frames\u003c\/a\u003e come in six colours (black, dark brown, dark grey, antique gold, oak and white), and \u003ca href=\"\/de\/pages\/custom-framing\"\u003ecustom framing\u003c\/a\u003e is available for an additional charge. My frames are glazed with super-clear museum-grade acrylic (perspex\/acrylite), which is significantly less reflective than glass, safer, and will always arrive in perfect condition.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"The Unique Maps Co.","offers":[{"title":"12x18in (30x45cm) \/ Art print","offer_id":58422035382656,"sku":"UM00333206A","price":38.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"12x18in (30x45cm) \/ Framed art print","offer_id":58422035415424,"sku":"UM00333207A","price":105.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"12x18in (30x45cm) \/ Framed canvas","offer_id":58422035448192,"sku":"UM00333208A","price":110.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"14x24in (36x60cm) \/ Art print","offer_id":58422035480960,"sku":"UM00333209A","price":73.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"14x24in (36x60cm) \/ Framed art print","offer_id":58422035513728,"sku":"UM00333210A","price":150.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"14x24in (36x60cm) \/ Framed canvas","offer_id":58422035546496,"sku":"UM00333211A","price":160.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"20x36in (50x90cm) \/ Art print","offer_id":58422035579264,"sku":"UM00333212A","price":88.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"20x36in (50x90cm) \/ Framed art print","offer_id":58422035612032,"sku":"UM00333213A","price":240.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"20x36in (50x90cm) \/ Framed canvas","offer_id":58422035644800,"sku":"UM00333214A","price":250.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"22x40in (56x100cm) \/ Art print","offer_id":58422035677568,"sku":"UM00333215A","price":115.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"22x40in (56x100cm) \/ Framed art print","offer_id":58422035710336,"sku":"UM00333216A","price":330.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"22x40in (56x100cm) \/ Framed canvas","offer_id":58422035743104,"sku":"UM00333217A","price":380.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"28x50in (70x127cm) \/ Art print","offer_id":58422035775872,"sku":"UM00333218A","price":210.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"28x50in (70x127cm) \/ Framed art print","offer_id":58422035808640,"sku":"UM00333219A","price":875.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"28x50in (70x127cm) \/ Framed canvas","offer_id":58422035841408,"sku":"UM00333220A","price":875.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"33x60in (84x150cm) \/ Art print","offer_id":58422035874176,"sku":"UM00333221A","price":280.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"33x60in (84x150cm) \/ Framed art print","offer_id":58422035906944,"sku":"UM00333222A","price":1400.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"33x60in (84x150cm) \/ Framed canvas","offer_id":58422035939712,"sku":"UM00333223A","price":1400.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"39x70in (99x178cm) \/ Art print","offer_id":58422035972480,"sku":"UM00333224A","price":460.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"39x70in (99x178cm) \/ Framed art print","offer_id":58422036005248,"sku":"UM00333225A","price":1875.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"39x70in (99x178cm) \/ Framed canvas","offer_id":58422036038016,"sku":"UM00333226A","price":1795.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0257\/0344\/8638\/files\/file_fa103c07-f1cc-4228-9755-e56a36dc446b.jpg?v=1783685336","url":"https:\/\/uniquemaps.co.uk\/de\/products\/spot-leiostomus-xanthurus-by-john-l-petrie-1898","provider":"The Unique Maps Co.","version":"1.0","type":"link"}