George Edwards Orangutan antique print. Orang-autang, Chimp-anzee engraving c1757.

by Edwards, George

Orangutan antique print by George Edwards. Orang-autang antique engraving c1757. "Synonymous Names. The Satier, Savage, Wild-man, Pigmy, Orang-autang, Chimp-anzee &c. Geo. Edwards Delin. et Sculpt." Wonderful antique print of an orangutan with uncoloured head in profile.

Original hand- coloured copperplate engraving of the Orangutan (posed, with back of hand on knee, while seated on a wooden bench and holding a wooden pole) by naturalist and artist George Edwards (1694-1773) for his Gleanings of Natural History Containing Figures of Quadrupeds, Birds, Insects, Plants, &c. published in London 1758. This is one of the earliest images of what is now considered to be most likely the closest animal relative of the human.

In 1773 George Edwards was appointed Librarian to the Royal College of Physicians. He was elected a fellow of the Royal Society, and of the Society of Antiquaries, and was honoured with the Gold Medal of the Royal Society.  He was employed for many years as a natural history painter by Sir Hans Sloane, founder of the British Museum. For his Natural History and Gleanings, George Edwards illustrated many foreign species for the first time. Edwards etched his own plates and then hand-coloured several prints before supervising others in the colouring. His engravings have great character with strong colour, and are quite unlike any other style of illustration, before or since. 

Approximate page size 290 x 220mm (11 1/4 x 9 inches).