Large Set Framed 18Th Century Bird Prints By Martinet

Fabulous collection of thirteen 18th Century French ornithological engravings by Francois Nicolas Martinet [1726-1804]. Circa 1770-1780. They are mounted behind glass in simple contemporary black wooden frames. Femelle de Pingoin [Female Penguin], Le Curicaca de Cayenne Sarcelle male de la Cote de Coromandel [Male Teal from the Coromandel Coast], Le Manchot des Hottentots [The Hottentot Penguin], Le Stercoraire [Skua], Le Grebe hupe [Crested Grebe], La Guifette [Tern], Le Cigogne Blanche [White Stork], Le Plongeon [Diver], Le Pingoin [Adelie Penguin], Let Petrel ou l'Oiseau Tempete [Petrel or Storm Bird], La Petit Hirondelle de Mer [Common Tern], Sarcelle femelle de la Cote de Coromandel [Female Teal from the Coromandel Coast]. Francois-Nicolas Martinet [1726-1804] was an engineer, engraver and naturalist. Trained as an engineer and draughtsman, he began to produce engravings for books and this became his profession. Beautiful, copperplate engravings with original hand-colouring. The plates are from the large paper edition of Francois Martinet's work with Buffon 'Histoire Naturelle des Oiseaux'. The work was published between 1765 and 1780 by Edme Louis Daubenton in France. Each plate features a delicate yellow border. Martinet was a prominent ornithological artist of the 1700s. He worked closely with Count Georges-Louis Leclerc du Buffon on Histoire Naturelle des Oiseaux. The work is considered one of the most influential bird books of all time. Martinet also created work for Marmontel, Voltaire, and Philidor and was an artist to the French Court.