Marine Life
€ 140
One of a kind: this is the sheet in the photographs. Ships from Langweer, the Netherlands.
Good condition. General age-related toning, minor edge wear, no text on verso. Colors remain vivid. Please review images carefully.
This original handcolored copperplate engraving illustrates four species of amphibious or aquatic eels and snake-like creatures in dynamic poses. It is part of Friedrich Johann Bertuch’s Bilderbuch für Kinder (Picture Book for Children), a celebrated 12-volume natural history encyclopedia published between 1790 and 1830. The detailed depictions emphasize the anatomical and behavioral diversity of these creatures, blending scientific precision with artistic finesse.
The engraving features:
1. A creature resembling the European Eel (Anguilla anguilla), noted for its elongated, smooth body and narrow head.
2. A snake-like creature with yellow markings, possibly a Yellow-Spotted Water Snake (Hydrodynastes gigas).
3. A coiled species resembling a Caecilian, a limbless amphibian commonly found in tropical regions.
4. A unique species with a broad, bulbous head, likely a South American Lungfish (Lepidosiren paradoxa), known for its ability to breathe air.
This rare engraving is a valuable addition to collections of antique zoological illustrations, natural history art, or educational prints.
Condition Report
Good condition. General age-related toning, minor edge wear, no text on verso. Colors remain vivid. Please review images carefully.
