LARGE 1776 Manetti Antique hand-colored engraving: Wheatear & Wagtail, blue bird

Description: * ALL OF OUR PRINTS ARE AUTHENTIC **Medium: Hand-colored engraving on medium-weight laid paper. Source: Saverio Manetti's "Storia naturale degli Uccelli" ("A Natural History of Birds"). Printed: Florence, between 1767 and 1776.Full page size (with blank margins): app. 13.5" x 17.75" Description: Francesco Saverio Manetti also spelt Xaviero or Xaverio Manetti (Latinized as Franciscus Xaverius Manetti civis Florentinus) (12 November 1723 – 12 November 1785) was an Italian physician, botanist and ornithologist. Among his works is the treatise on birds, Ornithologia methodice digesta or Storia naturale degli uccelli. The plant genus Manettia was named in his honour by Carl Linnaeus. "Storia naturale degli Uccelli" was 'larger, better engraved and more vividly coloured than any previous book on birds', notable for its lively posturing of the specimens which seem to reflect 'the habits and mannerisms of contemporary Italian society' Each bird engraving shows remarkable personality and detail, many of the birds often taking on an almost human personality type. Manetti drew his work predominantly from real specimens. The work was one of the largest ornithology undertakings to that point in time. "Storia naturale degli uccelli", of which Peter Dance writes: "The production of its five massive folio volumes must have been one of the most remarkable publishing ventures ever undertaken in Florence. Begun in 1767, it was completed ten years later. It was larger, better engraved and more vividly coloured than any previous work on birds, but these are not its only claim to fame. The attitudes of the birds themselves give this book its unique character. Strutting, parading, posturing, and occasionally flying....are birds whose real-life counterparts would surely disown them, and not without reason, for Manetti seems in these pictures to be depicting the human comedy, the habits and mannerisms of contemporary Italian society. His book may still be rated among the very greatest bird books, if only for its magnificent comicality" (S. Peter Dance, The Art of Natural History: Animal Illustrators and their Work. London: 1978), It is one of the half-dozen or so Great Bird Books in the collector's sense. Condition: Very good condition with some age-staining, creasing & toning. Please examine the scan. Shipping: We try to ship ASAP and will combine shipping charges.Thank you for looking! Froo www.froo.com | Froo Cross Sell, Free Cross Sell, Cross promote, eBay Marketing, eBay listing Apps, eBay Apps, eBay Application

Price: 80 USD

Location: Hoboken, New Jersey

End Time: 2024-09-22T04:34:28.000Z

Shipping Cost: 7 USD