John Cleves Symmes

“John Cleves Symmes, Jr. and His Hollow Earth” by John J. Audubon, 1820. Graphite on paper, sewn at the midpoint into a booklet with endpaper and cover. Inscribed and signed in graphite at the lower right border: “Drawn by John J. Audubon Aug - 20 / the Western Museum”; on the verso, at the center in brown ink: “John Cleves Symmes - / The man with the hole at the / Pole - / Drawn and a good likeness it is / by John J. Audubon / Cincinnati August 1820. / ---1820”; in graphite at the lower left: “Note by J.C. Symmes the son: / The proper orthography is / John Cleves Symmes”; in brown ink at the lower right: “John Cleves Symmes --”.

John Cleves Symmes, Symzonia (1820)