Antique Print with Hand Coloring of a Linnaeus's Two-Toed Sloth, ca.1825

€ 260

Original antique · The actual sheet photographed · Certificate of authenticity on request · Sold unframed · Worldwide shipping from € 15 (rates)

Date: 1825
Sheet size: 24.3 × 14.7 cm (9.6 × 5.8 in)
Condition: Good
Reference: BG-13585-24

What the condition grades mean

Excellent: Bright and clean, with no faults worth mentioning.
Very good: Only light signs of age, such as faint toning.
Good: Normal signs of age for a sheet of this period: toning, some foxing, small marks or neat old repairs.
Fair: Clear faults such as staining, tears or repairs, priced to match.

Every fault we see is written in the condition note, and the whole sheet is shown uncropped in the photos.

Condition

General age-related toning. Minor wear and soiling. Blank verso. Please review the images for further condition details.

About this sheet

The two-toed sloth or unau, a hand-colored engraving published in London by G.B. Whittaker on December 1, 1825. The caption reads "The Two-Toed Sloth or Unau." with the Latin name "Bradypus Didactylus." beneath it, and the credits at lower left read "T. Landseer del. et sc." and "Mus. Brit.", indicating that it was drawn and engraved by Thomas Landseer from a specimen in the British Museum.

The sloth hangs from a forked branch, one arm hooked over the fork and one foot gripping the lower limb, with its pale cream coat shaded in warm tints. The face is turned toward the right, with a short snout and small dark eyes. The sheet has no background, so the animal and its branch stand out clearly against the paper.

Linnaeus's two-toed sloth, now called Choloepus didactylus, lives in the forests of northern South America and is the larger of the two sloth genera.