Date of Printing: 1794 • Medium: Copperplate Engraving (hand colored) • Subject Category: Natural History - Birds • Signed: Unsigned • Period Created: Enlightenment (1700 - 1799) • Plate Size HxWxD cm: 20 x 11.5 • Leaf Paper Size HxW cm: 23 x 14 • Style: Original Vintage • Print on Verso: Blank on verso • Condition: Excellent • Edition Type: 1st Edition - Limited • Paper Type: Woven • Framed: Print only
An exceptionally beautiful, original hand-colored engraving print of the Ptarmigan Grous, plate 12, from Edward Donovan’s work "The Natural History of British Birds; or, a Selection of the most Rare, Beautiful, and Interesting Birds which inhabit this country"; 10 volumes with a total of 244 plates, London, 1794-1819. This first edition work was published in London between 1794 and 1808.
Edward Donovan was involved in all the steps of creating the illustrations in his works from the drawing, etching, engraving, and hand-coloring. His artistic hand created some of the finest engravings that often have the appearance of watercolors. Donovan was an avid natural history collector, fellow of the Linnean Society and the Wernerian Natural History Society. He also opened his own private museum in 1807, the London Museum and Institute of Natural History. Donovan’s engravings are noted for their exceptionally hand-colored images. He drew the images himself from his own museum as well as the collections of Sir Joseph Banks & Dru Drury.
Original Descriptive Text Pages accompany this print.
Condition: Overall Excellent. There is the slighteds toning at top margin, will not affect print if matted.