Charming Elephant Pair, Antique Hand-Coloured Prints by Buffon, 1769

This original antique print shows the endangered Indian elephant, Elephas maximus indicus, female suckling her young, 1, and mythical beast sukotyro. ...

Antique print titled 'L'Éléphant de l'Inde'. Old print of an Indian elephant. This print originates from 'Types du regne animal; Buffon en estampes', a book with 48 hand-colored plates of animals. Artists and Engravers: Édouard Traviès...

Rare 1769 Tapir Trio – Hand-Coloured Buffon Engravings from Amsterdam Edition This outstanding three-plate tapir set comes from the 1769 Amsterdam Dutch edition of Buffon’s Histoire...

Rare Antique Rhinoceros Engraving, Buffon Hand-Coloured Print Amsterdam 1769 Description: This striking 18th-century engraving of the Indian rhinoceros, titled Le Rhinoceros, comes from the Dutch edition of Buffon’s monumental natural history, published in Amsterdam by J.H. Schneider in 1769. Appearing as Plate VII in Tome XI, this is one of the most dramatic and desirable mammal plates in the entire series. The image was drawn by Jacques de Sève, the principal artist for Buffon’s Histoire Naturelle, and engraved by C.J. Fritsch, whose finely controlled linework captures the heavy folds, armour-like hide, and distinctive single horn of Rhinoceros unicornis with remarkable accuracy. Buffon’s description of the rhinoceros reflected the 18th century’s growing scientific curiosity about exotic species, and this plate reflects that fascination. The animal is shown standing solidly on a grassy bank against a pale sky and rocky cliff, a composition that emphasises both its mass and its rarity. De Sève’s rendering combines scientific observation with something of the romance and wonder that natural history imagery held for Enlightenment audiences. The armour-plated skin is depicted in sculptural relief through subtle cross-hatching, while carefully applied hand colouring enhances the deep greys, browns, and dusty pinks of the hide and landscape. As with all Schneider-edition plates, the colouring is richer, more transparent, and more refined than in many other continental versions of Buffon. This engraving is an excellent example of 18th-century copperplate technique. The plate mark is clearly visible, the impression strong, and the proportions generous, with wide margins characteristic of the Amsterdam edition. The sheet forms a beautiful standalone artwork but also pairs exceptionally well with other large-format Buffon subjects such as the elephant, camel, or buffalo plates...

L'elephant is an etching realized by Jean Charles Baquoy in 1771. It belongs to the suite "Histoire Naturelle de Buffon". The Artist's signature ...

Elephants is an etching realized by Thomas Holloway, from J.C. Lavater's "Essays on Physiognomy, Designed to promote the Knowledge and the Love of Mankind", London, Bensley, 1810. ...

Funny and elegant hand-watercoloured jungle style print representing an elephant. The frame is black patinated and the print is engraved with a star press. This print is part of a se...

A beautifully rendered etching with hand coloring depicting the skeleton of an elephant on a pedestal. A live elephant, foliage and huts in the background. French, 18th century by Georges Le Clerc...