Skip to main content
Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 6

François Nicolas Martinet
A Pair of Woodpeckers: An 18th Century Hand-colored Bird Engraving by Martinet

1765

$575
£434.53
€508.70
CA$802.97
A$903.42
CHF 478.67
MX$11,156.07
NOK 5,867.94
SEK 5,638.28
DKK 3,794.56
Shipping
Retrieving quote...
The 1stDibs Promise:
Authenticity Guarantee,
Money-Back Guarantee,
24-Hour Cancellation

About the Item

This is an original 18th century hand-colored copperplate engraving of male and female woodpecker birds entitled "1. Pie Male de la Encenada, 2. Petit Pic des Moluques (Woodpeckers)" by Francois Nicolas Martinet, plate 748 from 'Histoire Naturelle des Oiseaux' in association with Georges Louis Leclerc Comte de Buffon, first published in Paris in 1765 by Edme Louis Daubento. It depicts a pair of woodpeckers; a female perched on a branch, looking to the left and the male apparently perched on a tree trunk, looking to the right.. This detailed and strikingly beautiful hand-colored copperplate engraving is printed on high quality laid chain-linked paper with large margins. The sheet measures 12.38" high and 9.25" wide. There is a small spot in the lower yellow border, but the engraving is otherwise in excellent condition. Francois Nicolas Martinet (1731-c1804) was a French naturalist, engineer and artist, particularly as a skilled engraver. He produced engravings for numerous publication on natural history. He is best known for his bird engravings. Martinet also illustrated many plays and operas by Voltaire and others, as well as creating landscapes and scenes of Versailles and portraits of royalty and aristocrats. George Louis Leclerc Buffon (1707-1788) was a French aristocrat who became a very prominent and respected scientist and mathematician. He was the director of the Jardin des Plantes botanical garden in Paris. He published the 36 volume Histoire Naturelle, Générale et Particulière (1749-1788) which included Martinet's bird illustrations. These engravings were later published on their own in Histoire Naturelle des Oiseaux. Buffon was an early promoter of the the theory of evolution, recognized by Charles Darwin who acknowledged that "the first author who in modern times has treated it (evolution) in a scientific spirit was Buffon."
  • Creator:
    François Nicolas Martinet (1731 - 1800, French)
  • Creation Year:
    1765
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 12.38 in (31.45 cm)Width: 9.25 in (23.5 cm)
  • Medium:
  • Movement & Style:
  • Period:
    1760-1769
  • Framing:
    Framing Options Available
  • Condition:
  • Gallery Location:
    Alamo, CA
  • Reference Number:
    Seller: # 45251stDibs: LU1173214666522

More From This Seller

View All
A Greenfinch & A Sparrow: An 18th Century Hand-colored Engraving by Martinet
By François Nicolas Martinet
Located in Alamo, CA
This is a hand-colored engraving of a Greenfinch bird and a tree sparrow ("1, Le Friquet, 2. Le Verdier") by Francois Nicolas Martinet, plate 227 from 'Histoire Naturelle des Oiseaux...
Category

1760s Naturalistic Animal Prints

Materials

Engraving

A Falkland Island Quail: An 18th Century Hand-colored Engraving by Martinet
By François Nicolas Martinet
Located in Alamo, CA
This is a hand-colored engraving of a Falkland Island Quail ("Caille des Isles Malouines") by Francois Nicolas Martinet, plate 222 from 'Histoire Naturelle des Oiseaux' in associatio...
Category

1760s Naturalistic Animal Prints

Materials

Engraving

An Icelandic GyrFalcon: An 18th Century Hand-colored Engraving by Martinet
By François Nicolas Martinet
Located in Alamo, CA
This is a hand-colored engraving of an Icelandic Ger Falcon entitled "Gerfault d''Islande" by Francois Nicolas Martinet, plate 210 from 'Histoire Naturelle des Oiseaux' in associatio...
Category

1760s Naturalistic Animal Prints

Materials

Engraving

Black Guillemot: An 18th Century Hand-colored Bird Engraving by Martinet
By François Nicolas Martinet
Located in Alamo, CA
This is a hand-colored engraving of a black guillemot bird entitled "Le Guillemot" by Francois Nicolas Martinet, plate 903 from 'Histoire Naturelle des Oiseaux' in association with G...
Category

1760s Naturalistic Animal Prints

Materials

Engraving

Colorful Parrot: An 18th Century Hand-colored Bird Engraving by Martinet
By François Nicolas Martinet
Located in Alamo, CA
This is a hand-colored engraving of a parrot bird entitled "La Perruche-Ara, de Cayenne (Parrot)" by Francois Nicolas Martinet, plate 864 from 'Histoire Naturelle des Oiseaux' in ass...
Category

1760s Naturalistic Animal Prints

Materials

Engraving

Red & Black Woodpeckers: An 18th Century Hand-colored Bird Engraving by Martinet
By François Nicolas Martinet
Located in Alamo, CA
This is an original 18th century hand-colored copperplate engraving of a pair of red and black woodpecker birds entitled "1. Pie Roux, de Cayenne 2. Petit Pie Noir, de Cayenne (Red a...
Category

1760s Naturalistic Animal Prints

Materials

Engraving

You May Also Like

Greyhound
By Georges-Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon
Located in Columbia, MO
Greyhound 1773-1802 Engraving 14 x 10 inches Framed: 24 x 21 inches
Category

1770s Naturalistic Animal Prints

Materials

Engraving

Winter Fieldfare, Paul Bartlett, Limited Edition Print, Affordable Art, Bird Art
By Paul Bartlett
Located in Deddington, GB
Paul Bartlett is a highly acclaimed artist who has won many awards for his original depictions of nature which inform and educate the viewer on conservation issues. Winter Fieldfare...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Naturalistic Animal Prints

Materials

Paper

A Wolf, Hand-Colored Print From The Early 1800s by Johan Wilhelm Palmstruch
By Johan Wilhelm Palmstruch
Located in Stockholm, SE
Johan Wilhelm Palmstruch (1770-1811) Sweden Title: A Wolf hand-coloured print early 1800s print dimensions approx 4.33 x 7.08 inches (11 x 18 cm) frame 11.81 x 15.74 inches (30 ...
Category

Early 19th Century Naturalistic Animal Prints

Materials

Etching

A Bear, Hand-Colored Print From The Early 1800s by Johan Wilhelm Palmstruch
By Johan Wilhelm Palmstruch
Located in Stockholm, SE
Johan Wilhelm Palmstruch (1770-1811) Sweden Title: A Bear hand-coloured print early 1800s print dimensions approx 4.33 x 7.08 inches (11 x 18 cm) frame 11.81 x 15.74 inches (30 ...
Category

Early 19th Century Naturalistic Animal Prints

Materials

Color

American Crow 1858 Chromolithograph by J.J. Audubon Plate, Julius Bien Edition
By John James Audubon
Located in Paonia, CO
American Crow by J.J. Audubon from his Birds of America folio shows an adult male crow in a Black Walnut bush with a nest of a Ruby-Throated Hummingbird in a branch below the crow. This original chromolithograph plate no. 226 is in good condition with a repairable water mark in the image on the left side as can be seen in the photos. The ” Birds of America” by John James...
Category

1850s Naturalistic Animal Prints

Materials

Lithograph

Clare Halifax, G is for Giraffe, Limited Edition Art, Stamp Art, Animal Art
By Clare Halifax
Located in Deddington, GB
Clare Halifax G is for Girafeei Limited Edition 3colour screen print Edition of 100 Sheet Size: H 38cm x W 37cm x 0.1cm Sold Unframed Hand printed by the artist onto somerset satin p...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Naturalistic Landscape Prints

Materials

Paper, Screen