Eurasian Teal (Anas crecca) – Female with Nest and Eggs, Nozeman & Sepp, 1789
This antique hand-colored engraving, titled ‘Anas Crecca’, depicts the female Eurasian teal (Dutch: wintertaling) beside her nest with eggs. The Eurasian teal, also known as the common teal, is the smallest dabbling duck in Europe and Asia. It breeds widely across temperate Eurasia, from Britain and Scandinavia to Siberia, and migrates southwards in winter to North Africa, the Middle East, and southern Asia. The female, shown here, is well camouflaged with finely patterned plumage, blending into marsh vegetation while tending to her eggs.
The plate originates from Nederlandsche Vogelen; volgens hunne huishouding, aert en eigenschappen beschreeven (Amsterdam, 1770–1829), the first comprehensive ornithological work published in the Netherlands. This monumental series was produced by Cornelis Nozeman and Martinus Houttuyn, with the Sepp family responsible for its beautifully engraved and hand-colored plates. It was the first Dutch project to depict and describe all native birds, often rendered close to life size and set within their natural habitats, with accompanying descriptive texts.
Condition: Very good. Minor age-related toning and faint handling marks. Wide margins preserved, only a few small tears along the top edge. Paper slightly wrinkled.
Framing tips: This engraving would look striking in a dark oak or walnut frame with a soft cream or pale blue mount, enhancing both the delicate colors of the bird and the natural setting of the nest. A gilt or gold-lined inner mount would add refinement, echoing the elegance of 18th-century natural history prints.
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