François Levaillant (1753-1824) (author)
Jn. Lebrecht Reinold (after)
Jn. Lebrecht Reinold, C.M. Fessard, J.L. Pêrée (engravers)
L'Imprimerie de Langlois (printer)
La Chouette à Masque Noir
Le Huhul
from Histoire Naturelle des Oiseaux d'Afrique [Natural History of the Birds of Africa]
Perronneau for J.J. Fuchs;
Delachaussée, Paris: 1799-1808
Color printed aquatint, stipple, and etching, some finished by hand
11.5 x 9.25 inches, average approximate platemark
Sold, please inquire as to the availability of similar items.
Prints of African Owls
Paris: 1799-1808
Paris: 1799-1808
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Pair of prints of owls from a series of exotic African birds. Tree-dwelling birds generally shown perched on a branch, the aquatic birds shown in their natural settings. These prints are large paper copies, i.e. printed on large sheets.
François Levaillant (1753-1824) was a naturalist, the son of the French consul to Dutch Guyana. Sponsored by a patron to find specimens for his collector's cabinet, Levaillant made a six-month expedition to Africa, landing at the Cape of Good Hope in 1781, and returning to France in 1784. In Africa, he observed the habits of birds and amassed a major collection of specimens, also discovering some 50 new species. This became the basis of his monumental six-volume work Histoire Naturelle des Oiseaux d'Afrique, the only substantial ornithological work published on Africa during that period, containing over 300 illustrations, and still admired today for the quality of the prints and lively style of writing. As was typical of natural history collections, the set was originally issued in 51 parts. The printing of the first 13 was supervised by the ornithologist J.B. Audebert, and the remainder by Langlois.
References:
"Hill Collection--18th c. French authors & artists." Cornell University Libraries. 10 June 1999. http://rmc.library.cornell.edu/ornithology/guide/hillguide10.htm (8 March 2004).
Redden, David, et. al. The Library of H. Bradley Martin: Magnificent Color-Plate Ornithology. New York: Sotheby's, 1989. Pls. 141-142.
Nissen IVB 555; Fine Bird Books p. 90; Anker 298; Zimmer II, 391; Ronsil 1780; Mendelssohn I, 892. Compare with: Jeanson 7035 (2nd Jeanson sale nr. 280).