Title: Original Antique Print of Three Monkeys by Bertuch, circa 1805
Description: Original antique hand-colored copper engraving depicting three species of monkeys, published in Friedrich Justin Bertuch’s famous “Bilderbuch für Kinder” in Weimar, circa 1805.
The plate, numbered “Vierf. Thiere. LXV.” (Quadrupèdes LXV), depicts three primates identified as the Moluck, the Entellus of Bengal and the Indri. Each animal is individually numbered and finely engraved, with attractive original hand coloring.
This example is particularly interesting as it belongs to the earlier German-French issue of the plate and bears the engraved inscription “Jacob Hauer Schweitzer” at lower left. Later versions of the same composition are known with headings in four languages and without the Hauer inscription.
Friedrich Justin Bertuch (1747–1822) was a German publisher, writer and patron of the arts. He is best remembered for his monumental “Bilderbuch für Kinder” (Picture Book for Children), one of the great illustrated educational works of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Published in Weimar from 1790 onward, the extensive series contained hundreds of beautifully engraved and hand-colored plates devoted to animals, plants, geography, science, costumes, mythology and other subjects.
A charming and highly decorative early zoological print, particularly appealing to collectors of natural history, primates and early scientific illustration.
Creator: Friedrich Justin Bertuch (1747–1822)
Source: Bilderbuch für Kinder
Plate: Vierf. Thiere LXV / Quadrupèdes LXV
Place of Publication: Weimar, Germany
Date of Manufacture: Circa 1805
Period: Early 19th Century
Medium: Original hand-colored copper engraving on paper
Condition: Good. Wear consistent with age and use. Minor age-related toning and occasional light spotting. Colors remain attractive and the engraved image is well preserved.
Please note: This is an original antique print published circa 1805, not a modern reproduction. The print is sold unframed. Framed images or interior views, if shown, are for presentation and inspiration only.
Keywords: antique monkey print, antique primate print, natural history print, zoological print, animal engraving, hand colored engraving, Bertuch print, Friedrich Justin Bertuch, Indri, monkey illustration, scientific illustration, German engraving, 19th century print, antique animal art
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