Mammals · 19th century
€ 370
One of a kind: this is the sheet in the photographs. Ships from Langweer, the Netherlands.
Condition report: Light, even age-related toning consistent with early 19th-century paper. Minor scattered spots and faint edge wear. Clear impressions with visible plate marks and strong engraved detail.
Pair of Antique Zoological Engravings – Exotic Mammals, c.1830
This rare matched pair of early nineteenth-century zoological engravings presents exotic mammals as they were understood by European naturalists around 1830. Offered together, the two plates form a visually balanced and historically coherent ensemble, well suited for both collectors and refined interior settings.
The first engraving depicts small carnivores including a weasel, a bear-marten, and a panda-like animal, rendered with precise attention to anatomy and fur texture. The second plate shows a sloth with its young, a subject that reflects the era’s fascination with unfamiliar species from distant continents and conveys an unusually gentle, almost intimate observation of animal life.
Both prints originate from the same Dutch zoological publication and share identical engraving style, paper quality, and tonal character. When displayed together, they read as a cabinet-style pairing that contrasts alert movement with quiet repose, creating a sophisticated visual dialogue.
Matched pairs of zoological engravings from this period are increasingly difficult to assemble. Offered as a set, these prints retain their decorative harmony and historical integrity and make an elegant statement in a study, library, or curated living space. This attractive set of two early 19th-century zoological lithographs comes from Heinrich Rudolf Schinz’s influential natural history publications, illustrated by the Swiss artist and lithographer Karl Joseph Brodtmann around 1830.
Condition report: Light, even age-related toning consistent with early 19th-century paper. Minor scattered spots and faint edge wear. Clear impressions with visible plate marks and strong engraved detail.
Framing tips: Frame as a pair in dark wood or ebonized frames with warm off-white mats. Hang side by side or vertically aligned; subtle spacing enhances the cabinet-of-curiosities effect.
Technique: Copper engraving
Maker: Karl Joseph Brodtmann, early 19th century
