"Pair of prints of the Newtonian System",
Period: 1860 (published)
Publication: Two Systems of Astronomy
Color: Printed Color
11 x 7.5 inches
27.9 x 19.1 cm
Pair of prints depicting the Newtonian solar system and system of the Universe. These charts are authentic Baxter prints, made for the Muggletonians, a small English religious sect that objected to "modern" science, particularly heliocentric astronomy and Newtonian physics. They have been stored in Muggletonian archives since 1860 and were only recently discovered. Baxter prints were printed in color by a patented process using oil pigments. The process produced beautiful gradations of color, but was far too expensive for commercial use. These are among the scarcest of known Baxter prints. In addition to the scarcity, they are important documents in the history of the relationship between religion and science.