Motacilla Erithacus – Antique Common Redstart Print by Nozeman & Sepp, 1809
This finely hand-coloured engraving depicts the common redstart (Phoenicurus phoenicurus), known in Dutch as the “gekraagd roodstaartje.” Two birds perch on a forked bough, their warm rufous tails, slate-grey backs and neat facial markings rendered with crisp, lifelike detail—a hallmark of this famed series.
The plate comes from Nederlandsche Vogelen; volgens hunne huisdouding, aert, en eigenschappen beschreeven (Amsterdam, 1770–1829), the first comprehensive study of Dutch birds by Cornelis Nozeman, Martinus Houttuyn and Jan Christiaan Sepp. Printed on laid paper and finished by hand, these images balance scientific accuracy with decorative elegance. The accompanying original Dutch text pages provide rich historical and scientific observations on the species, its behaviour, nesting habits, and physical characteristics, as understood in the late 18th and early 19th centuries.
Condition: Great. Clean sheet with gentle age toning and a strong impression; plate mark visible. Original text pages present and very good, with mild toning and a few small scattered spots; no tears or repairs. Please study images.
Framing tips: A warm ivory mount will complement the paper tone, while a narrow ebonised or walnut frame enhances the rich rufous tail colours. Float-mount to show the plate mark; use UV-protective glazing to preserve the hand-colour.
Overall size: 37 x 53 cm. Image size: 0.001 x 24.5 x 30.3 cm.
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.