The Female Indian Elephant, 1780 Print By French Engraver Georges Buffon
A 1780 copper print of a female Indian Elephant by Georges Buffon. The original artwork was by the French naturalist George LeClerc Compte de Buffon. The 17th century was an age of discovery of new lands and their exotic indigenous animals. Buffon’s exotic animal illustrations were incomparable at the time. Although Buffon never stepped into India, his sketch of Indian animals was remarkably accurate.
He relied on verbal reports and descriptions of the animals for sketching in the 18th century. One of the best examples being the sketch of this Indian elephant. Histoire Naturelle was Buffon’s work in an encyclopedic collection of copperplate engravings. It was his venture of making engravings on hand-made paper with scientific descriptions. The venture became a huge success at the time, it was the wealthy, who mainly sought out his works.
Buffon was gifted with inherited wealth thus money was not a problem for using top quality materials or for production in his engraving venture. Notwithstanding the flaws in the engravings that was inevitable to that period. The subject of exotic animal species was quite exciting at the time. Sketches of not only India but also African wildlife brought out by Buffon and naturalists, were viewed with great astonishment and interest by the Europeans. They had never seen anything like this before.
Read more Comte de Buffon.
Did you know- steel engravings introduced in the 19th century gave finer details than copper which existed from the 1400s.
From the collection- Vintage Raja Ravi Varma “Shivaji” Oleograph Print., Photo Of Chepauk Palace Madras 1880., Old Postcard – Cochin Maharajah At Onam Celebrations 1948., Antique Print Tannah Viaduct GIPR.
