Original antique print of lemurs and the extinct Mauritian flying fox or dark flying fox (Pteropus subniger), known as a rougette to early French travelers. This engraved print originates from a very rare unknown Dutch work. The plates are similar to the plates in the famous German work: ‘Bilderbuch fur Kinder' by F.J. Bertuch, published 1790-1830 in Weimar. This could be Dutch edition of this work (no references found), or a work that used the Bertuch plates. Published circa 1820.
In more detail:
This image shows a collection of various animals, each labeled with a number, and the page is divided into two sections labeled "Quadrup. XIX" and "Quadrup. XX," likely abbreviations for "Quadruped," indicating that these are the nineteenth and twentieth illustrations in a series on quadrupeds.
In the top left, labeled "3," there is a primate holding a basket of fruit, suggesting it might be trained or in captivity. In the top middle, "1," there appears to be another primate, possibly a type of lemur, holding a branch with leaves. To the top right, "6," there is yet another primate with a long tail, seated on a cushion and eating fruit.
In the middle of the page, "8," there is a large bat species with its wings spread out, showing the detailed structure of its wings.
On the bottom left, "5," there is an animal that resembles a possum or a similar marsupial. In the bottom middle, "9," there is a depiction of a wild boar or hog, lying on the ground. Next to it, "7," there's an animal that might be a mongoose or weasel.
Finally, on the bottom row, "4" shows a feline creature playing with a ball, suggesting it might be a domestic cat, and "2" depicts a solitary animal with a bushy tail, possibly a type of lemur or other tree-dwelling mammal.
The style of the engravings is detailed and naturalistic, suggesting that they were intended for scientific or educational purposes. Each animal is placed in a naturalistic setting, either on grass or with other elements like a cushion or a branch, which adds context to their behaviors or habitats. The numbering system implies that these illustrations are part of a larger collection or encyclopedia of animals.
Bartele Gallery. Original antique maps, sea charts, engravings and works on paper. This is a plain text rendering of a page that is otherwise built in the browser. The catalogue index is at https://www.bartele.net/catalogue and machine readable notes are at https://www.bartele.net/llms.txt.