a set of twelve (12) hand-colored Martinet bird engravings, matted with various colored mattes and framed, France, 18th century
Francois-Nicolas Martinet (1731-c. 1790) was a famous French engraver and draughtsman in the 18th century. His illustrations were used in many important works, including one of the most influential of all bird books, the Comte De Buffon’s gorgeous work on the birds of the world, the “Histoire Naturelle Des Oiseaux” (A Natural History of Birds). Martinet’s plates were issued in forty two installments from 1765 to 1786 to illustrate these volumes of Buffon’s work. This highly decorated work was one of the most, if not the most, ambitious and comprehensive bird books of the day. The plates from this publication are beautifully engraved.
16.5” H x 13.5” W x .5” D frame
10” H x 7.5” W image
$5,700.00 set of 12
