Twenty Tropical Shells poster, Johann Gustav Hoch

Twenty polished shells, lined up like jewels in a display case. Johann Gustav Hoch painted them in neat rows on a pale ground: smooth, glossy shells, most of them in the elongated shape of olive shells, each with its own pattern of spots, bands, zigzags and marbling, in cream, olive green, chestnut and deep plum. The two largest, at the bottom, anchor the composition.

In the 18th century, collectors paid fortunes for tropical shells and commissioned painters to record their finest specimens. Hoch’s watercolour has the precision of a scientific plate and the charm of a sampler: the closer you look, the more patterns you discover.

Why it works on your wall

• Soft natural colours: cream, olive and brown suit a bathroom, a bedroom or a seaside house
• A collector’s look: the grid of shells brings order and calm to a wall
• Framing tip: a light oak frame echoes the warm tones of the shells

The watercolour

Johann Gustav Hoch (died 1779) was a German draughtsman who specialised in natural history subjects, painted in watercolour with great care. This sheet, painted with the brush in colours on paper, is kept at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam.

• Artist: Johann Gustav Hoch (d. 1779)
• Date: 18th century
• Technique: watercolour on paper
• Original: Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam
• Theme: shells, natural history, cabinet of curiosities

Your print

• Colours restored from a high-definition scan of the original
• Printed in Europe on thick archival matte paper, FSC certified
• From A4 to A0, plus 40×60, 50×70, 60×90 and 70×100 cm and 12×18 to 27×40 inch sizes, all made for standard frames
• Free shipping, no minimum order. Shipped rolled in a sturdy tube

Pair it with Wenceslaus Hollar’s Murex Shell, or explore our natural history prints and bathroom wall art.