Eurasian Golden Oriole with Nest – Antique Bird Engraving, Nozeman & Sepp 1770

About this sheet

Eurasian Golden Oriole with Nest – Antique Bird Engraving, Nozeman & Sepp 1770

This antique hand-coloured engraving, titled Orjolus, depicts the Eurasian Golden Oriole (Oriolus oriolus), one of Europe’s most striking songbirds. The composition beautifully shows a pair of orioles, with the male in his vivid golden-yellow plumage and contrasting black wings, while the female is rendered in more subdued greenish and brown tones. Below them rests a finely detailed nest containing three delicately speckled eggs, set amidst twigs and foliage. The balance between scientific accuracy and artistic refinement is immediately evident in this plate.

The Eurasian Golden Oriole, known in Dutch as wielewaal, is a summer migrant to Europe, breeding in open woodlands and groves before wintering in Africa. Its flute-like song and bright colouring have long made it a bird of fascination in natural history and culture. Unlike the New World orioles, to which it is unrelated, this Old World species belongs to the family Oriolidae, part of the corvoidean group of passerines.

This print originates from Nederlandsche Vogelen; volgens hunne huishouding, aert en eigenschappen beschreeven (Amsterdam, 1770–1829), the first great ornithological survey of the Netherlands. Written by Cornelis Nozeman and Martinus Houttuyn and illustrated by the Sepp family, the work is celebrated for its ambition to describe and illustrate every bird species found in the country. The plates were engraved on laid paper and hand-coloured, combining scientific observation with artistic delicacy.

Collectors value this print for its lively depiction of sexual dimorphism in orioles, alongside the rare inclusion of a nest scene, making it both scientifically informative and artistically appealing.

Condition: Very good. Light age-related toning and faint spotting, consistent with age. Vibrant colors. Wide margins preserved, with slightly darker bottom edge. Accompanied by the original descriptive text sheet.

Framing tips: This engraving would be best displayed in a dark wood or black frame with a gold inner line, combined with a cream or pale yellow mount to echo the golden tones of the male oriole. Such a choice enhances both the natural vibrancy of the birds and the elegance of the composition.