Birds · 19th century
€ 130
One of a kind: this is the sheet in the photographs. Ships from Langweer, the Netherlands.
Good antique condition. Light, even age toning to the sheet, scattered small foxing spots and a few minor handling marks, chiefly in the blank areas; image clean and colours fresh. Comes in mounting board.
Golden Oriole & Reed Warbler – Antique hand-coloured lithograph, c.1828
An elegant early-19th-century bird study showing two European species: the Reed Warbler (La Rousserolle) above and the Golden Oriole (Le Loriot) below, each perched on a branch and numbered to match the French caption. The brilliant yellow body and black wings of the oriole contrast with the olive-brown, white-eyed Reed Warbler, giving the plate a pleasing balance of colour and form. The sheet is titled “Pl. 37” at upper right, with the imprint lines “Th. Lejeune, éditeur” and “Lith. de Burggraaff, à Brux.” along the lower margin.
This plate was issued in Brussels by Th. Lejeune between 1828 and 1833 as part of the richly illustrated continuation of Buffon’s celebrated natural history. While Georges-Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon (1707–1788) laid the foundation for modern zoological publishing, this Brussels edition brought his work to a new audience with contemporary updates and—importantly—lithographic plates that could be hand-coloured with lively, natural tones. The lithography here is by Burggraaff of Brussels, whose careful drawing captures field marks that remain useful to today’s birders: the oriole’s red bill and mask around the eye, and the warbler’s pale supercilium and olive wing coverts.
As a decorative natural history print, the sheet has strong interior appeal: the vertical arrangement, uncluttered background and crisp typography read beautifully when framed. For collectors, it represents a desirable intersection of Buffon’s intellectual legacy and the rise of colour lithography in the 1820s—an affordable, display-ready example from a respected continental edition.
Condition report:
Good antique condition. Light, even age toning to the sheet, scattered small foxing spots and a few minor handling marks, chiefly in the blank areas; image clean and colours fresh. Old mounting window visible in the photos; verso blank. Please review images.
Framing tips:
A warm off-white or pale ivory mat with a narrow olive or charcoal inner line will complement both birds; a slim black, dark walnut or gilded frame suits classical interiors. Use acid-free mounts and UV-filtering glazing to preserve the hand colour.
Technique: Hand-coloured lithograph on wove paper
Maker: Burggraaff (lithographer); published by Th. Lejeune, Brussels, 1828–1833; after Buffon’s Oeuvres complètes (Plate 37)
