Hand Coloured Pigeon Engraving by François-Nicolas Martinet (1731–1800) c.1760

This is a beautiful and highly decorative original 18th-century hand-coloured ornithological engraving by the celebrated French natural-history illustrator and engraver François-Nicolas Martinet (1731–1800). Dating from circa 1760, the work depicts the striking “Pigeon ramier bleu de Madagascar” the Blue Wood Pigeon of Madagascar – portrayed in profile amongst delicately rendered foliage, flowers and a naturalistic rocky landscape. The magnificent bird is depicted with wonderfully rich deep blue plumage, contrasting red legs and eye surround, while the surrounding botanical details are picked out in subtle shades of green and yellow. The image was drawn and engraved by Martinet, with the original printed inscription visible lower left: “Dessiné et Gravé par Martinet” and the title beneath: “Pigeon ramier bleu de Madagascar.” The plate is also numbered “II” in the upper-left corner. François-Nicolas Martinet was one of the most accomplished French ornithological illustrators and engravers of the 18th century and became particularly renowned for his extraordinarily detailed depictions of birds produced during the great Enlightenment-era interest in natural history. The engraving retains the wonderfully subtle character expected of an early hand-coloured work, with the fine engraved lines remaining clearly visible beneath the applied colour. It has been professionally presented within a deep cream card mount and attractive giltwood frame, which complements the rich blue and green colouring beautifully. A particularly charming and highly decorative piece of 18th-century French natural-history art, and an ideal acquisition for a collector of early ornithological engravings, antique prints or natural-history works. Attributes: Artist / Engraver: François-Nicolas Martinet (1731–1800) Subject: Pigeon ramier bleu de Madagascar Medium: Hand-coloured engraving on paper Nationality: French Date: Circa 1760 Overall framed dimensions: 38.6cm × 33.5cm Presentation: Mounted, glazed and framed in giltwood ^^ Fast & Free UK Delivery Included^^ *A Certificate of Authenticity (COA) will be provided by artsonline with this piece* Delivery Artsonline UK ships worldwide daily, using only fully insured, priority, and fully tracked delivery services. Great care and time are taken over the safe transportation of the Fine Art and Antique pieces we sell. We pack extremely carefully, so you can rest assured that your piece will arrive with you in perfect condition. For larger paintings, antique furniture pieces, and fragile items that can not be sent via the normal postal services, we use professional door-to-door delivery providers, who will always strive to deliver your piece promptly, within approx. 7-14 working days. Returns Policy: Artsonline provides a genuine no-quibble 14-day money-back refund policy (excluding the cost of Postage and Packaging). Pay securely - Telephone orders are welcome. Image result for payments accepted logos Secure-Payment-Vpadeb-sa-la-go-th-et-an-gt-0045086-BACS-Order-PayPal-M/Card