Original Antique Print of Three Dolphins and Porpoises by Bertuch, 1802

Original Antique Print of Three Dolphins and Porpoises by Bertuch, 1802

Original antique hand-colored copper engraving depicting three unusual species of cetaceans, published in Friedrich Justin Bertuch’s celebrated “Bilderbuch für Kinder” in Weimar in 1802.

The plate is titled “Fische XXXIX / Poissons XXXIX.” Following the zoological classification used at the time, Bertuch included these marine mammals within the section devoted to fishes.

The three figures are identified in the original German description as:

Fig. 1, Der dickbäuchige Delphin, the Thick-Bellied Dolphin

Fig. 2, Der milchweiße Delphin, the Milk-White Dolphin

Fig. 3, Der zahnlose Delphin, the Toothless Dolphin

The animals are shown individually in profile against small rocky shorelines and breaking waves. Their unusual forms reflect the developing European understanding of whales, dolphins and porpoises around 1800, when many exotic marine species were still known primarily through travelers’ accounts and earlier natural-history publications.

The engraving is delicately enhanced with original hand coloring in restrained shades of gray, blue, pink and brown.

The plate bears the engraved inscription “Jacob Hauer Schmuzer” at lower right.

Friedrich Justin Bertuch (1747–1822) was a German publisher, writer and patron of the arts. His monumental “Bilderbuch für Kinder” (Picture Book for Children) was one of the great illustrated educational encyclopedias of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Published in Weimar from 1790 onward, the work eventually contained more than a thousand engraved plates covering natural history, geography, science, technology, antiquity, costumes and numerous other subjects.

Creator:

Friedrich Justin Bertuch (1747–1822)

Engraver:

Jacob Hauer Schmuzer

Source:

Bilderbuch für Kinder

Plate:

Fische XXXIX / Poissons XXXIX

Place of Publication:

Weimar, Germany

Date of Manufacture:

1802

Period:

Early 19th Century

Style:

Neoclassical, In the Period of

Medium:

Original hand-colored copper engraving on paper

Condition:

Good. Wear consistent with age and use. Light age-related toning and occasional minor spotting. Minor marginal wear. Original hand coloring remains attractive and the engraved impressions are well preserved. Please refer to the photographs for further details of condition.

Please note:

This is an original antique print from 1802, not a modern reproduction. The print is sold unframed. Framed images or interior views, if shown, are for presentation and inspiration only.

Keywords:

antique dolphin print, antique whale print, porpoise print, cetacean engraving, dolphin engraving, marine mammal print, marine life print, natural history print, Bertuch print, Friedrich Justin Bertuch, Jacob Schmuzer, hand colored engraving, zoological illustration, ocean life, scientific illustration, 1802 engraving