Credit: © The Royal Society
    Image number: RS.9825
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    Cochineal production at the town of Guaspaltepeque

    Date
    1730
    Creator
    William Houstoun (1699 - 1733, British) , Botanist
    Object type
    Archive reference number
    Material
    Dimensions
    height (painting): 365mm
    width (painting): 505mm
    Subject
    Description
    Schematic view of the town of Guaspaltepeque, in Oaxaca State, Mexico,as a centre for cochineal production. The simplified landscape shows a church and curate’s house, but mainly the agriculture, collection and processing of cochineal, the traditional Mexican dye, from the scale insect Dactylopius coccus. From the manuscript copy paper “Dr Houston’s letter to Sir Hans Sloane...giving an account of some plants and enclosing a draught of the town of Guaspaltepeque in the Bishopric of Oaxaca with its explanation... “, by William Houstoun, 9 December 1730. The author stated: “The drawing of the manufactory of cochineal I did from an Indian painting in the possession of one Mr. Knightsbridge, an English Gentleman, who has been long in the Kingdom of Mexico...” Not signed.

    Royal Society Register Book Original, vol.16 1731-1732, pp.13-18. The paper was read before the Royal Society on 1 July 1731, but not published in the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society.
    Associated place
    <The World>
       > North America
          > Mexico
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