"Fringilla, Domestica"

A beautiful image by Cornelius Nozeman from the first comprehensive account of the Avifauna of Holland.  The plates depict all the species known to exist in the Netherlands through the time of publication and frequently feature eggs and nests.  A few wonderful plates are dedicated to these latter subjects.  The birds are shown in their natural surroundings and in their natural attitudes.  The compositions of the backgrounds reflect the influence of the Dutch painting tradition of beautifully realistic still life compositions. This is one of Nozeman's best images with a nest containing 4 eggs and feathers tucked under the red clay tile of the roof. In Nature Into Art, Handasyde Buchanan describes the great Nozeman work as “an excellent and more realistic Dutch book solely on birds…”  (Buchanan, p.82)

A description of Nederlandsche Vogelen… is included in Fine Bird Books by Sacheverell Sitwell.  The author of this essential reference had very high standards for what volumes could be included.  He defined a ‘fine book’ as “one which is finely produced.  Well printed on hand-made paper, preferably finely bound, it should be enjoyable to look at and to handle.  The pictures should not only be well drawn but reproduced as near perfectly as possible.”  (Sitwell, p.48) It is certainly telling that he selected a Nozeman image to be the frontispiece of his essential reference on antique ornithological prints.

Hand colored copperplate engraving.
20 3/4 x 14 1/2 inches.
Very good vondition save a few flecks of spotting with original color and full margins.