Coastal/Seashore Vintage Print

Description

These stunning hand-colored copperplate prints come from the Histoire Naturelle, generate et particuliere, avec la description du Cabinet du Roi … more These stunning hand-colored copperplate prints come from the Histoire Naturelle, generate et particuliere, avec la description du Cabinet du Roi - in English: Natural History, General and particular, with a description of the Kings Cabinet. This was an encyclopedic collection containing 36 Quarto (large) volumes written between 1747-1804. The Comte de Buffon initiated this undertaking and eight more volumes were added to the collection after his death. The books covered the "natural sciences" of the time. These prints came from the edition of fishes (poissons) which were done in 1788-1804. The engraver's name on these plates is Robert Benard, 1734-1785, french who was born and died in Paris. The plates were all originally black and white. These were masterfully colored at a later date and are spectacular.

I purchased these 16 prints in Florence 15 years ago from Giovanni Baccani, owner of The Blue Door in Florence on the Borgo Ognissanti for my store in Aspen, Colorado. These would look spectacular on your dining or living room walls. Giovanni and I continued to have a great relationship and I will be posting many more of his pieces. Giovanni has passed but his son still has the shop - if you are ever in Florence you should stop by. The shop is beautiful (look online) and it was the building where Amerigo Vespucci was born!

These prints are in excellent condition - over 250 years old and will take your breath away. They come with a beautiful mat that Giovanni made with a burgundy and gold border. less