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Re: Verne
From: Richard Ellis <richellis@nyc.rr.com>
It is obvious that Verne had read some of the
>contemporaneous descriptions of plesiosaurs and ichthyosaurs and had seen
>some of the more spectacular illustrations, perhaps those in Louis
>Figuier�s 1863 La Terre avant le D�luge (Earth before the
>Deluge).
This is hard to say. Journey to the Center of the Earth was first published,
in French, in 1864, only a year after Figuier's book. It is likely that Verne
was well-versed in the paleontological knowledge of the day, though, through
newspaper accounts and a possible visit to see the Crystal Palace dinosaurs.
>Figuier�s book includes illustrations by Edouard Riou, one of which
>depicts
>an ichthyosaur confronting a plesiosaur
It is also significant to note that Riou later illustrated the seventh edition
of Verne's book, in 1867.
More about these themes can be seen in Paleoimagery: The Evolution of Dinosaurs
in Art by Allen and Diane Debus. And, if I recall correctly, the same authors
may have included a chapter on Verne in their book Dinosaur Memories.
Steve
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Stephen Brusatte
Geophysical Sciences
University of Chicago
Dino Land Paleontology-http://www.geocities.com/stegob
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