François
Levaillant (1753-1824) (editor)
Jacques
Barraband (1767-1809) (after)
Langlois
and Rousseau (printers)
Le
Toco No. 2 [Toucan No. 2]
from
Histoire Naturelle des Oiseaux de Paradis et des Rolliers,
suive de celle des Toucans et des Barbus [Natural History of the Birds
of Paradise and of the Rollers, followed by that of the Toucans and
the Barbets]
Denne
and Perlet, Paris [1801]-1806
21.5
x 15.25 inches, overall
20.75
x 14 inches, plate mark
Sold, please inquire as to the availability of similar items.
Toucan
Jacques Barraband
Jacques Barraband
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A superb portrait of a toucan, portrayed perched on a branch, which is typical of Barraband's style. This is an uncolored proof before letters; it was also issued with printed title and caption, and in a colored version.
François Levaillant (1753-1824) was a naturalist, the son of the French consul to Dutch Guyana. Sponsored by a patron to find specimens for his collector's cabinet, Levaillant made a six-month expedition to Africa, landing at the Cape of Good Hope in 1781, and returning to France in 1784. In Africa, he observed the habits of birds and amassed a major collection of specimens, also discovering some 50 new species. This became the basis of his monumental six-volume work Histoire Naturelle des Oiseaux d'Afrique, the only substantial ornithological work published on Africa during that period, containing over 300 illustrations, and still admired today for the quality of the prints and lively style of writing. As was typical of natural history collections, the set was originally issued in 51 parts. The printing of the first 13 was supervised by the ornithologist J.B. Audebert, and the remainder by Langlois.
Jacques Barraband (or Barraban) was the son of a weaver at the Aubusson tapestry factory, and was a pupil of the flower painter Joseph Malaine (1745-1809). He also worked for the Gobelin Factory and the porcelain factory of Sèvres. His most important work was a set of approximately 300 drawings for the scientist François Levaillant's three renowned ornithological monographs, including Histoire Naturelle des Perroquets (1801-1805), a landmark in bird publications for its sumptuous color plates. Barraband is considered the foremost ornithological artist in nineteenth-century France , admired for his ability to bring his subjects to life through conveying the texture of the feathers and the vivid coloration of the birds.
References:
Anker 304; Fine Bird Books, p.90; Nissen IVB 559; Wood, p.434; Zimmer, p.393.
"Hill Collection--18th c. French authors & artists." Cornell University Libraries. 10 June 1999. http://rmc.library.cornell.edu/ornithology/guide/hillguide10.htm (8 March 2004). (Levaillant)
Redden, David, et al. The Library of H. Bradley Martin: Magnificent Color-Plate Ornithology. New York : Sotheby's, 1989. Pls. 141-142. (Levaillant)