Close-ups
Framed and on the wall
Frame and rooms are illustrations of how the print could look; the description says what is included.
Le Cachalot Macrocéphale (Sperm Whale), Hand-Colored Engraving, 1840
£220 ($295, €260)
Period original, not a reproduction.
Shipped from the Netherlands, flat, insured and tracked, worldwide. Returns accepted within 14 days.
- Date
- 1840
- Size
- 6.5 × 10.1 in (16.5 × 25.6 cm)
- Condition
- Good. Minor age-related toning and occasional light spotting, with small remnants of binding along the upper margin as issued. Overall in very good condition with attractive original hand-coloring.
- Period
- Early 19th century
- Section
- Fish and shells
- Reference
- f_50810042
Le Cachalot Macrocéphale (Sperm Whale), Hand-Colored Engraving, 1840
A dramatic and finely executed natural history engraving depicting the mighty sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus) against a rugged coastal landscape. Tiny human figures and a rowing boat emphasize the extraordinary scale of the animal, reflecting the nineteenth-century fascination with the mysteries of the world's oceans. The composition combines scientific observation with Romantic landscape aesthetics, characteristic of the great French illustrated natural history publications of the period.
Designed by Édouard Traviès and engraved by Beyer & Mancoux, the print was published by Furne in Paris around 1840 as part of a celebrated series devoted to marine life. The original hand-coloring remains delicate and luminous, preserving the elegance intended by its creators.
Presented unframed. Framed images are for inspiration only.
Condition: Minor age-related toning and occasional light spotting, with small remnants of binding along the upper margin as issued. Overall in very good condition with attractive original hand-coloring.
