About this sheet
Original Antique Print of Five Exotic Red Fish by Bertuch, c.1800
Original antique hand-colored copper engraving depicting five remarkable species of fish, published in Friedrich Justin Bertuch’s celebrated “Bilderbuch für Kinder” in Weimar around the turn of the 19th century.
The plate is titled “Fische XXV / Pisces XXV / Poissons XXV” and belongs to a group described as “Rothe Fische,” or Red Fishes. Five individually numbered species are represented, each distinguished by its unusual form, fins and coloration.
Fig. 1 depicts the “Rote Makrele,” or Red Mackerel, an elegant elongated fish with a reddish upper body and forked tail.
Fig. 2 is identified as the “Gabel-Fisch,” or Fork Fish. It is particularly striking for its elongated body, prominent eye and exceptionally long fin rays.
Fig. 3 represents the “See-Leyer,” an unusual gurnard-like marine fish with a large armored-looking head and elaborate fins.
Fig. 4 is the “Punktierte See-Hahn,” or Spotted Sea Cock, distinguished by its spectacular enlarged blue pectoral fins decorated with dark spots. Its almost wing-like fins make it one of the most decorative subjects on the plate.
Fig. 5 depicts the “Glotzauge,” another unusual marine fish characterized in the historical terminology by its conspicuous eyes.
The engraving is beautifully enhanced with original hand coloring in shades of red, orange, yellow, blue and brown. The combination of five unusual species and their elaborate fin structures makes this a particularly decorative example of early ichthyological illustration.
The plate bears the engraved signature “J. H. Schmuzer” and the reference “IV.B.36” at lower right.
Friedrich Justin Bertuch (1747–1822) was a German publisher, writer and patron of the arts. His monumental “Bilderbuch für Kinder” (Picture Book for Children) was one of the great illustrated educational encyclopedias of the late 18th and early 19th centuries, covering natural history, geography, science, technology, antiquity and numerous other subjects.
Creator:
Friedrich Justin Bertuch (1747–1822)
Source:
Bilderbuch für Kinder
Plate:
Fische XXV / Pisces XXV / Poissons XXV
Subject:
Five Red and Exotic Marine Fish
Place of Publication:
Weimar, Germany
Date of Manufacture:
Circa 1795–1805
Period:
Late 18th / Early 19th Century
Medium:
Original hand-colored copper engraving on paper
Condition:
Good. Wear consistent with age and use. General age-related toning with scattered minor spotting and marks. Some marginal wear and handling creases, particularly toward the edges. Original hand coloring remains attractive. Please refer to the photographs for further details of condition.
Please note:
This is an original antique engraving, not a modern reproduction. The print is sold unframed. Framed images or interior views, if shown, are for presentation and inspiration only.
Other companion fish and natural-history plates from Bertuch’s “Bilderbuch für Kinder” are also available separately.
