Native Palms of the Mascarene Islands

A collection of 11 prints


This series of etchings is a study of the eleven palm species endemic to the Mascarene Islands, in the Indian Ocean (Reunion island, Mauritius and Rodrigues).

This study includes the drawings, the Latin names and the local common names of the plants. It was done by Louis Goupille with research material gathered on the field, at the Petrin natural reserve, the Curepipe Botanical garden, Ile aux Aigrettes nature reserve in Mauritius and in Grande Mountagne nature reserve in Rodrigues and in Reunion island.

The etchings are drawings from Louis Goupille worked with in a fine point and aquatint technique on copper plates, and hand pulled on a manuel French Tool press by the artist at the studios of the Manhattan Graphic Center, 481 washington street, NYC in 2006. With an edition of 40, all prints are entirely hand made, signed and numbered.

Palms indigenous to Reunion island
Hyophorbe indica : “Palmiste Poison”.
Latania lontaroides : “Latanier Rouge”.
Acanthophoenix rubra : “Palmiste Piquant”.

Palms indigenous to Mauritius I
Latania loddigessii : “Latanier Bleu”.
Tectiphiala ferox : “Palmiste Bouclé”.
Hyophorbe vanghanii

Palms indigenous to Mauritius II
Hyophorbe lagenicaulis : “Palmiste Bouteille”.
Dictyosperma album : “Palmiste Blanc”.
Hyophorbe amaricaulis

Palms indigenous to Rodrigues
Latania verscahffeltii : “Latanier Jaune”.
Hyophorbe verschaffeltii : “Palmiste de Rodrigues”.

Printmaking technique: Etching - Fine Point and aquatint.
Printed on German etching paper, Hahnemuhle 10” x 11”
Studio: Manhattan Grahic Center, NYC
Edition: Limited to 40, signed and numbered by Louis Goupille 2006.

"Indigeneous Foliage of the Mascarene Isles"

"Indigenous Foliage of the Mascarene Isles" is a collection of traditional hand pulled prints - lithography’s, etchings, serigraphy’s, and Japanese wood cuts - illustrated and manually printed in limited edition by Louis Goupille. This work is an ongoing one and started in 2006 at the studios of the Manhattan Graphics Center, in New York City. Each year a number of new editions are added to the collection.

Some of the prints were exhibited in a group exhibition in December 2006 for an end of year show at The Manhattan Graphics Center, NYC. A more complete series of these prints was exhibited in a solo exhibition at the begining of May 2007 at "The Ruisseau Creole", Black River, Mauritius. Part of the collection was also exhibited in a show entitled "Focus on Prints" at the galery of the New York Mercantile Exchange, World Financial Center, New York City, in May 2008.

“Bois de natte” by Louis Goupille 2007
Etching – Fine point, Xerox transfer and aquatint
Printed on German etching paper, Hahnemuhle (15” x11”)
Edition: limited to 75, signed and numbered.

“Bois de chandelles” by Louis Goupille 2007
Etching – Fine point and aquatint
Printed on white Italian etching paper, Fabriano (15” x11”)
Edition: limited to 75, signed and numbered.

“La danse du Tambalacoque” by Louis Goupille 2007
Etching – Xerox transfer and aquatint
Printed on white Italian etching paper, Fabriano (15” x11”)
Edition: limited to 75, signed and numbered.

“Les Veloutiers Blancs” by Louis Goupille 2007
Etching – Sugar lift and aquatint
Printed on white Italian etching paper, Fabriano (15” x11”)
Edition: limited to 75, signed and numbered.

“Ebony Canopy” by Louis Goupille 2007
Etching – Aquatint and surface roll
Printed on white Italian etching paper, Fabriano (15” x11”)
Edition: limited to 75, signed and numbered.

“Les Veloutiers Verts” by Louis Goupille 2007
Etching – Aquatint and spitbite
Printed on white Italian etching paper, Fabriano (15” x11”)
Printmaking studio: Manhattan Graphics Center, NYC.
Edition: limited to 75, signed and numbered.

“Bois de fer” by Louis Goupille 2007
Etching – Aquatint
Printed on German etching paper, Hahnemuhle (10” x11”)
Edition: limited to 75, signed and numbered.

“Immortelle, tu me manques” by Louis Goupille 2007
Etching – Aquatint
Printed on German etching paper, Hahnemuhle (10” x11”)
Edition: limited to 75, signed and numbered.

“Mauritianna foetica” by Louis Goupille 2007
Etching – Fine point and aquatint
Printed on German etching paper, Hahnemuhle, (10” x11”)
Edition: limited to 75, signed and numbered.

"Trochetia" by Louis Goupille 2008
Etching – Aquatint, xerox tranfer, 2 plates one with surface roll
Printed on white Italian etching paper, Fabriano (10” x11”)
Printmaking studio: Manhattan Graphics Center, NYC.
Edition: limited to 40, signed and numbered.

"Bois de boeuf" by Louis Goupille 2008
Etching – Xerox transfer, openbite and engraving
Printed on white Italian etching paper, Fabriano (10” x11”)
Printmaking studio: Manhattan Graphics Center, NYC.
Edition: limited to 40, signed and numbered.

"Bruyere" by Louis Goupille 2007
Etching – Aquatint and spitbite, 2 plates with a surface roll
Printed on white Italian etching paper, Fabriano (10” x11”)
Printmaking studio: Manhattan Graphics Center, NYC.
Edition: limited to 75, signed and numbered.

"La foret bleue" by Louis Goupille 2008
Etching – Aquatint, xerox transfer, 2 plates one with surface roll
Printed on white Italian etching paper, Fabriano (15” x11”)
Printmaking studio: Manhattan Graphics Center, NYC.
Edition: limited to 10, signed and numbered.

“It flourished in the orchard” by Louis Goupille 2007
Serigraphy, printed on English Sommerset paper warm white 22’’ x 30’’
Printmaking studio: Manhattan Graphics Center, NYC.
Edition: Limited to 75, signed and numbered.

“Bottled up inspirations” by Louis Goupille 2007
Serigraphy, printed on English Sommerset Velvet paper Newsprint 22" x 30"
Edition: Limited to 60, signed and numbered.