Mammals · 19th century
€ 160
One of a kind: this is the sheet in the photographs. Ships from Langweer, the Netherlands.
General age-related toning. Some wear and soiling. Blank verso. Please study image carefully.
Original antique print of lemurs and the extinct Mauritian flying fox or dark flying fox (Pteropus subniger), known as a rougette to early French travelers. This engraved print originates from a very rare unknown Dutch work. The plates are similar to the plates in the famous German work: ‘Bilderbuch fur Kinder' by F.J. Bertuch, published 1790-1830 in Weimar. This could be Dutch edition of this work (no references found), or a work that used the Bertuch plates. Published circa 1820.
In more detail:
This image shows a collection of various animals, each labeled with a number, and the page is divided into two sections labeled "Quadrup. XIX" and "Quadrup. XX," likely abbreviations for "Quadruped," indicating that these are the nineteenth and twentieth illustrations in a series on quadrupeds.
In the top left, labeled "3," there is a primate holding a basket of fruit, suggesting it might be trained or in captivity. In the top middle, "1," there appears to be another primate, possibly a type of lemur, holding a branch with leaves. To the top right, "6," there is yet another primate with a long tail, seated on a cushion and eating fruit.
In the middle of the page, "8," there is a large bat species with its wings spread out, showing the detailed structure of its wings.
On the bottom left, "5," there is an animal that resembles a possum or a similar marsupial. In the bottom middle, "9," there is a depiction of a wild boar or hog, lying on the ground. Next to it, "7," there's an animal that might be a mongoose or weasel.
Finally, on the bottom row, "4" shows a feline creature playing with a ball, suggesting it might be a domestic cat, and "2" depicts a solitary animal with a bushy tail, possibly a type of lemur or other tree-dwelling mammal.
The style of the engravings is detailed and naturalistic, suggesting that they were intended for scientific or educational purposes. Each animal is placed in a naturalistic setting, either on grass or with other elements like a cushion or a branch, which adds context to their behaviors or habitats. The numbering system implies that these illustrations are part of a larger collection or encyclopedia of animals.
