Title

1830

Biography of the Artist.

Jean Gabriel Prêtre (1768-1849) was a Swiss-born painter of natural history subjects. He first worked as an illustrator recording specimens in the Empress Josephine's zoo. He went on to be a member of Napoleonic survey of Egypt, between 1798 and 1801, where his work culminated in numerous plates for the Le Description de l'Egypte.

In collaboration with fellow artist, Nicolas Hüet (1770-1830), with whom he worked at the Natural History Museum in Paris, he also contributed a lot of original artwork from which plates were engraved for Nouveau recueil de planches coloriées d'oiseaux pour servir de suite et de complément aux planches enluminées de Buffon, d'après les dessins de MM. Huet et Prêtre, Peintre attachés au Muséum d'histoire naturelle, by Coenraad Jacob Temminck (1778-1858), published between 1820 and 1839.

These prints are from an extremely rare work of beautifully hand colored stipple engravings.  It derives form the work of the luminaries of the 18th century and the later direction of Turpin. The "Dizionario di Scienze Naturali" in 26 text volumes and 4 atlas volumes came as one of the most extensive and wonderfull Natural History Dictionary. 

First published in France, it was then published in Italian in 1830 by Batelli & Sons (Ref: Ceresoli).

The prints  in excellent condition, are beautifully executed stipple engravings in very fine detail, all with original handcolouring. The colours are bright and very intense on a creamy white medium weight paper. Some are heightened with gold & silver.

Each print measures approximately 6 inches wide by 8 2/3 inches long, with descriptions in Latin &/or Italian.

There is no accompanying text. The images cannot show the minute detail of the stipple engravings. All our prints are guaranteed authentic antique prints. These prints are extremely rare.