Antique Prints, Maps, & Books of Natural History, Botanicals, & More
Lot 4525:
Description
This exceedingly rare, exquisitely hand-colored folio engraving is from Barbara Regina Dietzschin’s
Sammlung meistens Deutscher Vogel or
Collection of Mostly German Birds. The work was published in Nuremberg for Wirsing between 1772 and 1777. The illustrations were done by Barbara Regina Dietzsch. Adam Ludwig Wirsing completed the engravings for the work. Each engraving features stunning hand-coloring on super quality, chain-linked watermarked paper.
This work is considered the best publication on German birds in the 18th century. Adding only to this work’s desirability and scarcity, is that the illustrations were completed by a female artist in a time period where there work was very rarely published let alone credited. Barbara Regina Dietzsch was from a family of noted artists (her father was Johann Israel Dietzsch), but her work became the most celebrated over time. Her flower and animal paintings found collectors all over the world and remain higly collectible to this day.
This work was also likely able to be published due to the financial stimulus of Dr. Christoph Jakob Trew. Trew assembled young artists and scientists in Nuremberg making it a have for some of the best publications in this time include the work of Maria Sibylla Merian, Georg Dionysius Ehret, and G. W. Knorr.
Heidrun Ludwig noted of Dietzsch’s work "Die Starke dieser Vogelbilder liegt vor allem in der meisterhaften, haptischen Wiedergabe der Gefieder, die Dietzsch so uberzeugend imitierte, dass ihre Stucke einen Vergleich mit den grossen Jagtstilleben von Jan Baptiste Weenix oder Willem van Aelst nicht zu scheuen brauchen? Die Schonheit der Vogelbilder Barbara Regina Dietzsch und ihre getreue Nachahmung naturlichen Vogelgefieders wurden von den zeitgenössischen Betrachtern bewundert." (Nurnberger naturgeschichtliche Malerei im 17. Und 18. Jahrhundert’ pages 45-46) The translation of this is essentially "The strength of these bird pictures lies above all in the masterful, haptic reproduction of the plumage, which Dietzsch so convincingly imitated that her pieces need not shy away from a comparison with the great hunting still lifes of Jan Baptiste Weenix or Willem van Aelst. The beauty of bird images Barbara Regina Dietzsch and her faithful imitation of natural bird plumage were admired by contemporary observers."
Paper Size: ~ 9 1/2" by 15 1/2"
Paper Type or Special Features: Rare, Exceptional Originally Hand-colored Engraving
Condition report:
The work is in very good to excellent condition overall. There may be a few minor imperfections or faint marks or fox marks to be expected with age. Please review the image carefully for condition and contact us with any questions.
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