Birds · 19th century
€ 440
One of a kind: this is the sheet in the photographs. Ships from Langweer, the Netherlands.
General age-related toning. Minor wear and foxing, blank verso. Please study image carefully.
This original vintage illustratiton is a handcolored antique print titled 'Le Moucberolle doré mâle', which showcases a male American redstart (Setophaga ruticilla), a vibrant member of the New World warbler family. The bird is depicted in mid-movement, with its wings slightly raised, as if it has just alighted upon the branch. The illustration captures the redstart’s striking plumage with its contrasting bright orange patches on the wings and tail set against a deep black body, highlighting the species' distinctive coloration.
Below the image, 'Le Moucberolle doré mâle', 'Musciapa ruticilla. pl. 33' provides the French name and the scientific nomenclature of the bird, along with the plate number from the series. The credits 'Pretre pinx', 'Langlois sculp.', and 'Bouquet' refer to the original painter, engraver, and individual who applied the hand finishing, respectively, and connect the print to the larger work 'Histoire Naturelle des Oiseaux de l'Amerique Septentrionale' by Louis Jean Pierre Vieillot, published around 1807.
Examining the condition of the print, it exhibits characteristic age-related foxing and a general yellowing of the paper. Despite these signs of wear, the coloration remains bright and the artwork is preserved with a high level of detail, allowing the beauty of the redstart to continue to captivate viewers. The print represents an era in ornithology when the study of birds began to focus more on the living bird in its natural environment, marking a significant shift in the scientific approach to natural history.
