Hand-colored Animals | Regnum Animale, ca. 1810

Vosmaer, A.

Rare, Hand-colored, Animals | Regnum Animale. Natuurkundige afbeeldingen of groot prenteboek voor kinderen, bevattende eene uitmuntende verzameling van zeldzame gedierten, bestaande in Oost- en Westindische viervoetige dieren, vogelen en slangen, weleer levendig voorhanden geweest zijn, buiten Den Haag, op het Klein Loo van Z.D.H. den Prins van Oranje Nassau. Met 26 naar ‘t leven geteekende en gekleurde koperen platen. Zaltbommel, J. Noman, [ca. 1810?].

Name: Rare, Hand-colored, Animals | Regnum Animale. Natuurkundige afbeeldingen of groot prenteboek voor kinderen, bevattende eene uitmuntende verzameling van zeldzame gedierten, bestaande in Oost- en Westindische viervoetige dieren, vogelen en slangen, weleer levendig voorhanden geweest zijn, buiten Den Haag, op het Klein Loo van Z.D.H. den Prins van Oranje Nassau. Met 26 naar 't leven geteekende en gekleurde koperen platen. Zaltbommel, J. Noman, [ca. 1810?].
SKU: 42508
Price: 2400.00 EUR
Availability: InStock

Half-linen binding with marbled boards. A luxury, hand-coloured children’s book (25 cm x 21 cm) with a collection of 35 full-page engravings, including one fold-out. Hand-coloured frontispice pasted on a flyleaf. Some pages have minor marks or stains, in most cases due to the transfer or smearing of color from the original illustrations. Manuscript captions in ink on certain pages indicate animals’ scientific names. One page has slightly heavier smearing (“Oost-indische Papegaaij”). Binding very worn and book block cracked roughly 3/4 through. Otherwise, in very good condition, especially considering the book’s target audience!

The illustrations in this very rare, visually stunning book provide a glimpse into the historical menageries of William V, Prince of Orange. Between 1766 and 1778, the menagerie director, Aernout Vosmaer (1720-1799), wrote descriptions of animals that he had imported from “exotic” locations like Suriname, Borneo, the Philippines, South Africa, and Japan. Each summary was published individually with an accompanying hand-coloured print. In 1805, J.B. Elwe compiled these descriptions and images into a single edition; and, in turn, in 1810, J. Noman prepared this particular edition, comprised of only images–a “picture book for children”. Remarkable for the rich color and detail, this volume–copies of which have rarely survived–also attests to the far-reaching effects of Dutch colonialism, including on material culture, children’s education, and studies in natural history.

B0975.

Papegaai – handgekleurde platen – natuurlijke historie – vogels – slangen – giraf – skelet – Vosmaer -prentenboek voor kinderen – kolonialisme – opvoeding kinderen

SKU: 42508

Plates by A. Schouman, G. van den Heuvel, P.C. Haag, G. Haasbroek, C. van Kuik, and Van Noorden; engraved by S. Fokke, C. Bogerts, and Du Boulois (5 plates unsigned).

Aernout Vosmaer (1720-1799) was a Dutch naturalist and collection curator. In 1756 he became the director of a natural history collection started by Princess Anna, the wife of William IV, Prince of Orange and continued by their son William V. Vosmaer held the post until the Batavian Revolution in 1795.

€ 2.616,00 (€ 2.400,00 ex. btw)

In stock