Sports & Leisure · 19th century
€ 170
One of a kind: this is the sheet in the photographs. Ships from Langweer, the Netherlands.
Overall good condition with even age toning, minor foxing in margins, and light edge wear. Plate impression clear with strong lines and original partial hand coloring well preserved.
Asian Wildlife and Hunting Scene – Antique German Engraving, c.1840
This captivating antique engraving titled “Asien” depicts Asian wildlife alongside traditional hunting scenes in a decorative tripartite composition. At the top are three finely engraved and partially hand-colored antelopes: a blackbuck (Antilope cervicapra) with its distinctive spiral horns, an Indian gazelle or chinkara (Gazella bennettii), and a greater kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros) or similar large antelope species with lyre-shaped horns. Their detailed anatomical rendering and warm coloration highlight the European natural history fascination of the early 19th century.
The middle register portrays an elaborate hunting expedition with an elephant bearing a howdah and rider, accompanied by horsemen and handlers. Surrounding them are multiple cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) in various poses, including resting, climbing, and walking, reflecting their association with Indian royal hunts where cheetahs were historically used for coursing game.
The lower section features a prominently displayed cheetah standing alert against a rocky background, flanked by two hunting scenes: to the left, hunters on horseback with dogs chasing a spotted feline, and to the right, cheetahs depicted at rest. The engraving is rich in foliage detail, palm trees, and landscape vistas that evoke an idealised vision of the Indian subcontinent’s natural environment.
Published by Carl Mayer’s Kunst Anstalt in Nuremberg around 1840, this print exemplifies the romantic ethnographic and zoological imagery produced for encyclopaedic and educational works in Central Europe, capturing both wildlife documentation and colonial hunting culture.
Condition report:
Overall good condition with even age toning, minor foxing in margins, and light edge wear. Plate impression clear with strong lines and original partial hand coloring well preserved.
Framing tip:
Frame in dark walnut or natural oak with an ivory or buff mount to complement the warm tones of the engraving. A black frame with gold inner slip will provide a classic, gallery-style presentation suitable for libraries, studies, or rooms with a natural history, travel, or safari theme.
