Le Mangabey Monkey: Framed Audebert 18th C. Hand-Colored Engraving, 1797

Description

This is a framed 18th century folio-sized colored stipple engraving with hand-finishing entitled "Le Mangabey, Buff, Simia Aethiops, Linne", which … more This is a framed 18th century folio-sized colored stipple engraving with hand-finishing entitled "Le Mangabey, Buff, Simia Aethiops, Linne", which was drawn and engraved by Jean Baptiste Audebert. It appeared as plate 5 in Audebert's 'Histoire Naturelle des Singes et des Makis Peintres d’après Nature' (Natural History of Monkeys and Lemurs), published in Paris in 1797. It depicts a Mangabey Monkey sitting and facing right. It is holding an object in both hands, perhaps a large nut. This Mangabey belongs to the genus Cercocebus. They are characterized by their bare upper eyelids and their fairly uniform coloring of their fur. These large monkeys live mainly in forests and are found only in Africa. Mangabeys are some of the most rare and endangered monkeys on Earth.

This original 18th century colored stipple engraving with hand-finishing creates the appearance of a watercolor. The technique was created by French botanical artist Pierre-Joseph Redouté, with some contributions by Audebert. The print is presented in a beautiful natural burlwood frame with black outer trim and black and gold inner trims. There is a cream-colored outer French mat with a pale yellow highlight band and a taupe-colored inner mat. The frame measures 30.5" high by 23.25" wide and 2" deep. There are a few faint spots, but the print and frame are otherwise in excellent condition. less