About this sheet
Original Antique Print of American Crocodile and Gharial by Bertuch, 1802
Original antique hand-colored copper engraving depicting two remarkable species of crocodilians: the American crocodile or caiman and the gharial, also historically known as the Ganges crocodile.
The plate is titled “Amphibien XIV / Amphibies XIV” and originates from Friedrich Justin Bertuch’s celebrated “Bilderbuch für Kinder,” published in Weimar in 1802.
Fig. 1 depicts the “Americanische Crocodil,” identified by Bertuch under the contemporary scientific name Lacerta Alligator. Fig. 2 shows the distinctive long-snouted gharial or Ganges crocodile, then classified as Lacerta Gangetica. Both animals are shown on rocky riverbanks surrounded by water, with attractive original hand coloring.
The engraving bears the inscription “Jacob Hauer Schweitzer” at lower right.
Friedrich Justin Bertuch (1747–1822) was a German publisher, writer and patron of the arts. He is best known for his monumental “Bilderbuch für Kinder” (Picture Book for Children), one of the most ambitious illustrated educational encyclopedias of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Published in Weimar from 1790 onward, the work contained hundreds of finely engraved and hand-colored plates covering natural history, geography, science, technology, costumes and mythology.
An especially decorative early zoological print combining two of the most distinctive crocodilians known to European naturalists around 1800.
Creator:
Friedrich Justin Bertuch (1747–1822)
Engraver:
Jacob Hauer
Source:
Bilderbuch für Kinder
Plate:
Amphibien XIV / Amphibies XIV
Place of Publication:
Weimar, Germany
Date of Manufacture:
1802
Period:
Early 19th Century
Style:
Neoclassical – In the Period of
Medium:
Original hand-colored copper engraving on paper
Condition:
Good. Wear consistent with age and use. Light age-related toning and occasional minor spotting. Original hand coloring remains attractive. Please refer to the photographs for further details of condition.
Please note:
This is an original antique print from 1802, not a modern reproduction. The print is sold unframed. Framed images or interior views, if shown, are for presentation and inspiration only.
Keywords:
antique crocodile print, antique alligator print, gharial print, Ganges crocodile, caiman print, crocodile engraving, reptile print, Bertuch print, Friedrich Justin Bertuch, Jacob Hauer, natural history print, zoological engraving, hand colored engraving, scientific illustration, antique animal print, 1802 engraving
