Description
Exotic Species Buffon Mangouste or Mongoose. An 18th century engraving from Buffon’s Histoire Naturelle. Published 1749 through 1761 in Paris and Amsterdam.
Exotic Species Buffon Mangouste Engraving
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George LeClerc Compte de Buffon was a wealthy French naturalist and scientist during the 18th century. He lived from 1707 through 1788 in France. The 18th century was as an age of discovery for science.
Buffon’s Histoire Naturelle published 1749 through 1761 in Paris and Amsterdam. It was a monumental work in which Buffon employed a plethora of naturalists, artists and publishers. Once he employed a staff of 70 for over 13 years. Money was of no object.
The work on animals Buffon had Illustrated can be compared to no other artwork of the time. The personalities of the animals are exquisite. 1st edition Histoire Naturelle were directed by Buffon.
Histoire Naturelle was Buffon’s attempt to provide subscribers an encyclopedic collection of copper plate engravings on hand made paper with scientific explanations. It was an overwhelming success in the 18th century. The work was subscribed by mostly wealthy people from around the world.
Buffon had massive inherited wealth. This was apparent in his work: extensive, high quality, beautiful and scientific. So when it came to publishing his work, money was of no object.
It is said that the famous French naturalist Rosseau, philosopher and personal friend of Compte de Buffon, would bow down and kiss the threshold (doorway), before he entered Buffon’s home. Eighteenth century respect?
A splendid 18th century hand colored copper plate engraving. An exotic species of animals. The watercolors have been professionally added recently. There are some flaws in each of the 18th century antique engravings, but the subject matter makes up for any flaw.
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