Bilder Jean-Baptiste-Alexandre Gide (publisher) – View of a Golden-rumped Cuscus – Oceania – Hand-coloured lithograph (1853)

Beskrivning

"Couscous a Croupion Doré." This hand-coloured lithograph illustrates a Golden-rumped Cuscus, a marsupial native to the islands of Indonesia and Papua New Guinea, depicted climbing a textured branch with its prehensile tail visible. The technical nature is a hand-coloured lithograph published in Paris by Gide as part of the monumental Voyage au Pole Sud et dans l'Oceanie sur les corvettes l'Astrolabe et la Zelee. Jean-Charles Werner was a celebrated French natural history painter and illustrator who served as the official artist for the Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle in Paris. He was renowned for his technical precision and his ability to render the soft texture of fur and the lifelike anatomy of exotic mammals collected during French scientific expeditions. His primary contribution was the visual cataloging of global biodiversity during the peak of nineteenth-century maritime exploration, providing European scientists with their first accurate records of Australasian fauna.

Jean-Charles Werner was a prolific artist whose career was dedicated to the service of science and the documentation of the animal kingdom. Based in Paris, he worked closely with leading zoologists of the era to transform specimens brought back by explorers like Dumont d'Urville into refined, scientifically accurate plates. His primary contribution was the elevation of mammalian illustration through a masterly use of lithography, which allowed for subtle tonal gradations and a high degree of realism. Werner’s work is significant for its artistic elegance and its rigorous adherence to taxonomic details, making his plates essential references for nineteenth-century naturalists. His legacy remains preserved in the grand atlases that documented the natural wonders of the world for the French government, reflecting the high point of French scientific illustration and lithographic craftsmanship.

Artist or Maker: Jean-Charles Werner (Artist).

Dimensions: Approximately 52 cm x 34 cm.

Medium: Hand-coloured lithograph.

Date: 1853.

Condition Report:
This work is in good condition overall. There may be a few minor imperfections or fox or mottled marks to be expected with age. Please review the images carefully for condition details, and feel free to contact us with any questions or for a comprehensive condition report.