Birds · 18th century
€ 690
One of a kind: this is the sheet in the photographs. Ships from Langweer, the Netherlands.
Very good. Vibrant colors, minimal fading. Paper shows light toning and minor foxing in margins. Edges sharp; no tears, no folds. Slight handling marks, mostly outside platmark, not affecting image quality.
This is a hand-colored copper engraving by Johann Michael Seligmann, derived from the work of George Edwards, and is part of the *Sammlung verschiedener ausländischer und seltener Vögel* (Collection of Various Foreign and Rare Birds), published in Nuremberg between 1770 and 1773.
The title, "Der Rothkopf mit gelbem Leib und das Colibrichen mit weissem Schwanz" (The Red-Headed Bird with Yellow Body and the Hummingbird with White Tail), refers to the two exotic bird species depicted.
The engraving illustrates:
1. The Red-Headed Yellow-Bodied Bird (*Avicula lutea vertice rubro*), a striking bird with a red crown and yellow body with some red markings on its chest.
2. The Hummingbird with White Tail (*Melivora cauda alba*), with a curved beak, a mix of brown and red plumage, and a distinctive white tail.
The Latin and French descriptions indicate the species’ colors and distinguishing features. Seligmann’s technique combines copperplate engraving with meticulous hand-coloring, enhancing the vibrant details of each bird. This print exemplifies the era's fascination with documenting exotic avian species.
