L'Oiseau St.Martin, Le Busard des Marais, Le Soubuse. c1838

by Buffon-Lacepede

St. Martin bird, Moor Buzzard, Soubuse antique print.

Fine hand-coloured steel engraving of birds of prey with contemporary beautiful colour, engraved by Madame Thorel after a drawing by Antoines Chazal for Suites a Buffon, updated by Bernard Germain Étienne de la Ville sur Illon, Comte de Lacepede (1756-1825), who worked with Georges-Louis le Clerc, Comte de Buffon (1707-1788), and completed the last 8 volumes of Buffon's 36 small volumes of Histoire Naturelle Générale et Particulière avec la description du cabinet du roi (Natural History, General and Particular, with the description from the King’s library), published from 1749 to 1803 after Buffon died.

Lacepede employed scientific artists to enlarge Buffon's tiny illustrations, reduce the number to each page and make them more realistic. When the Jardin du Roi (King's Garden) was re-organised as the Jardin du Plantes (Plants Garden), Lacépede was appointed to head the Museum's study of reptiles and fish. Over the following years, Lacépede continued updating Buffon's work. The majority of Lacepede's work was published in Paris by Pourrat Brothers, but several naturalists and publishers contributed to later editions, with varied styles of embellishment and presentation of wildlife.

This lovely engraving was printed off-centre, and the page edges are soiled. Size: 25 x 16cm (9.5 x 6.25 inches).