Pierre Joseph Buchoz (1731-1807) (editor)
Jacques de Favanne (1716-1770) (after)
C. Baquoy (engraver)
[Alligator]
from Première - séconde centurie de planches enluminées et non enluminées, representant au naturel ce qui se trouve de plus interessant et de plus curieux parmi les animaux, les vegetaux, et les mineraux, pour servir d'intelligence à l'histoire generale des trois regnes de la nature
[First-Second Century of Illuminated and Non-Illuminated Plates, Representing in Nature that which Is Found to be the Most Interesting and Curious Among the Animals, the Vegetables, and the Minerals, in Furtherance of Understanding the General History of the Three Realms of Nature]
Lacombe, Paris & Amsterdam: 1775-1781
Hand-colored engraving
9.5 x 13.75 inches, plate mark
13 x 20 inches, overall
$550

Natural history engraving depicting an adult alligator defending its  baby, not yet fully hatched and poking its little snout out of its shell.  The adult, shown in profile, bares its teeth and curls its tail in the air in way that owes more to artistic imagination than reality.  This is not unusual in 18th century natural history studies, where the artists often did not directly observe the animals they illustrated.  The print is from a comprehensive set of natural history studies of the three kingdoms of nature  -- animals, plants, and minerals.

These prints are among a broad variety of works by Pierre Joseph Buchoz (also spelled Buc'hoz), an extremely prolific author of the latter half of the 18th century. Buchoz produced over 300 volumes of natural science books, with a particular emphasis on botany. Born in Metz, he was physician to the King of Poland by age 28, but he left his post to pursue his interest in botany.

Certain critics were dismissive of Buchoz as a scientist and original artist, pointing to the questionable science, inaccurate descriptions and liberal borrowings from other authors scattered through his works. The composition and quality of his prints, however, are comparable to best natural history works of the same period. Indeed, Buchoz was a member of academies in France and Europe and his Histoire Universelle du Règne Végétal (1774-1780) earned the approval of the Academy of Science. Among his productions are also some charming and interesting plates. He published the first drawings of Chinese plants made by native artists and many of his other works show the stylistic influence of Asian art about 100 years before it took the Parisian art world by storm.

Jacques de Favanne was a French draftsman and engraver from Paris.  He was the son of the French painter Henri-Antoine de Favanne and a student of F. Thomassin.  He produced engravings after Watteau, Lancret and Le Maine, as well as producing book illustrations, including natural history illustrations for works such as La Conchyliologie ou Histoire Naturelle des Coquilles de Mer… by Dezallier d'Argenville.

C. Baquoy also produced natural history engravings for the natural history encyclopedia of Georges-Louis Marie LeClerc, Count of Buffon.

Condition:  Generally very good with the usual light overall toning and scattered wear to edges.

References:

Bénézit, E. Dictionnaire critique et documentaire des Peintres, Sculpteurs, Dessinateurs et Graveurs.  France: Librairie Gründ, 1966.  Vol. 3, p. 686 (de Favanne).

Blunt, Wilfred, rev. by Stearn, William T. The Art of Botanical Illustration. Woodbridge, Suffolk, England: Antique Collectors Club, 1994. pp. 175, 178-9 (Buchoz).

"Buchoz, Pierre-Joseph." Fonds Patrimonial du SCD de l'Université Rennes 2. http://www.uhb.fr/scd/fonds/buchoz1.htm (28 January 2004).

Poppe, Guido T. and Poppe, Philippe.  “Histoire d’Argenville: La Conchyliology -- 1757.”  Conchology, Inc. 1996-2004.  http://lasso.conchology.be/Cyberconchology/oldBooksDArgenville.html (5 January 2005).