Group of Sun Spots and Veiled Spots – E. L. Trouvelot Celestial Print, Plate I (1881)
Group of Sun Spots and Veiled Spots – E. L. Trouvelot Celestial Print, Plate I (1881)
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Before photography could fix the Sun's face, Étienne Léopold Trouvelot drew it. This plate shows two great groups of sunspots as he observed them at Harvard College Observatory: dark umbrae wrapped in swirling penumbral filaments, with the pale veiled spots and faculae that stream around an active region. Sunspots are cooler patches on the solar surface, and in Trouvelot's pastel the churning around them reads almost like weather, which in a sense it is.
This is Plate I of The Trouvelot Astronomical Drawings, the atlas Étienne Léopold Trouvelot published in New York in 1881–82 from his own observations. Our reproduction is made from the atlas plate, printed on thick matte paper. The plate is horizontal, so it is printed centered on the sheet with white above and below, in the manner of a mat.
1827–1895
The Trouvelot Astronomical Drawings, New York, 1881
Chromolithograph, reproduced as a fine art print.
Product Details
Product Details
- Available in 12" x 18" and 20" x 30" for smaller spaces and print sets, or 24" x 36" for larger, more impactful displays; Other sizes may have different aspect ratios
- Premium paper with a luxurious matte feel with a thickness of 10.3 mil (0.26 mm) and weight of 189 g/m²
- Choose from Black, Red Oak, or White frames, featuring an Acrylite front protector, or unframed options with your own framing solution
- Sustainably sourced Ayous wood frame, 0.75" (1.9 cm) thick
- Lightweight and durable design with hanging hardware included with framed purchases
- Printed on-demand to avoid overproduction
- Printed on demand; allow 5 to 12 business days for delivery
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About Us
About Us
At Vintage Print Project, we celebrate the timeless charm of vintage design while embracing modern creativity. Our mission is to bring art, culture, and individuality to your space through a carefully curated collection of vintage-inspired prints and exclusive, one-of-a-kind treasures.
Vintage Prints Made Modern:
Each piece in our collection tells a story. From designs inspired by iconic vintage styles to curated limited-edition prints and rare international finds, we offer art that elevates your walls and sparks conversation. By blending nostalgia with cutting-edge technology, we create a seamless balance of accessibility and exclusivity.
As a passionate, design-forward team, we value craftsmanship and cultural appreciation to transform everyday spaces into something extraordinary.
The majority of our products are printed on demand shortly after your order is placed. This allows us to reduce overproduction and avoid waste, bringing accessibly priced, yet inspiring, vintage-inspired prints to your space.

More about this wall art poster print:
In the 1870s no camera could record the Sun's surface in detail, so Trouvelot recorded it by hand. Plate I of his atlas shows two great groups of sunspots observed at Harvard College Observatory: black cores wrapped in fringes of swirling filament, with paler veiled spots and bright faculae scattered through the surrounding turmoil. The fringes twist and stream outward, restless as cloth in a current. What first looks like abstraction is in fact a portrait, the restless surface of a star, set down mark by mark.
The plate's pale ground and dark, graphic clusters suit a study, an office, or any wall that gets good daylight. It reads as pure pattern from across the room and as astronomy up close, and it tends to prompt the same question: how much of the Sun could a person see, patiently, before photography? This drawing is the answer.
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About Vintage Print Project
At Vintage Print Project, we celebrate the timeless charm of vintage design while embracing modern creativity. Our mission is to bring art, culture, and individuality to your space through a carefully curated collection of vintage-inspired prints and exclusive, one-of-a-kind treasures.
Each piece in our collection tells a story. From designs inspired by iconic vintage styles to curated limited-edition prints and rare international finds, we offer art that elevates your walls and sparks conversation. By blending nostalgia with cutting-edge technology, we create a seamless balance of accessibility and exclusivity.
Quality Printing & Framing
Our posters are printed on museum-quality matte paper, providing a high-quality matte finish. With a thickness of 10.3 mil (0.26 mm) and a weight of 189 g/m², the paper offers a sturdy yet lightweight feel with sharp and vibrant results.
Our frames are made from 0.75" (1.9 cm) thick Ayous wood, sustainably sourced from renewable forests. The lightweight Acrylite front protector adds durability without adding extra weight. Each framed option arrives ready to hang, with hanging hardware included.
The majority of our products are printed on demand shortly after your order is placed. This allows us to reduce overproduction and avoid waste, bringing accessibly priced, yet inspiring, vintage-inspired prints to your space.