46 Charles Blunt (1803–1878) – Hand-Coloured Aquatint – Perseus from The Beauty of the Heavens (1849)

This hand-coloured aquatint of the constellation Perseus is taken from The Beauty of the Heavens: A Pictorial Display of The Astronomical Phenomena of The Universe, published in 1849 by Charles Blunt. The print presents the mythological hero Perseus holding the head of Medusa, surrounded by stars representing the constellation layout. The dark background is accented with gold stars, emphasizing the celestial arrangement against the night sky. Blunt, an astronomer and illustrator, created this detailed representation to make astronomical knowledge accessible and visually engaging. His works are noted for their clarity and artistic quality, contributing significantly to the understanding of celestial phenomena in the 19th century. The work was published by Whitehead & Ackermann in London, 1849.