c1790 Lamarck B & W Antique Conchology Fossil Belemnite Cephalopod Antique Print

Description: About this listing - This listing is for the Histoire Naturelle print pictured. The print measures approximately 8.5 x 11.5 inches. Because every monitor displays differently, expect that there will be some variance between what you see on the monitor and how the print will look in your hands. The image of the print posted on this listing is as representative as I could make it. The print is in good condition over all. Some foxing, toning, and offset may visible. The print in this listing is an authentic antique print, and is around 230 years old. About the work - This encyclopedic work spanning over 50 years and running to 201 volumes was the undertaking of an enterprising young publisher Charles-Joseph Panckoucke (1736-98), who got his start in the publishing world of the day by collaborating on the Encyclopedie of Diderot & d’Alembert. This latter work was to become a definitive record of the history of European thought and a remarkable reference for all aspects of eighteenth-century European civilization. From the onset, it was controversial, banned by the government & condemned by the Pope, causing it to become enormously popular.We are offering prints from the volumes relating to Crustaceans, Shells, Sea Urchins, and a variety of sea creatures. These volumes were published between 1791-1798, and were edited by Lamarck & Bruguiere. The backdrop of the publication was the French Revolution, when, in 1793 Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette went to the guillotine. It was a time of great transformation in France & the reorganization in a democratic manner of many of the establishments previously dependent on the whims of royal patronage. The old Jardin des Plantes became the Musée National d'Histoire Naturelle (National Museum of Natural History), run by twelve professors in twelve different scientific fields, one of whom was Lamarck.Jean Baptiste Pierre Antoine de Monet, Chevalier de Lamarck, born in 1744 to a military family, attended a Jesuit seminary for a short period before becoming a soldier, retiring with a distinguished battle record. Lamarck began to study medicine and botany; in 1778 his book on the plants of France, Flore Française, was published to great acclaim, in part due to the support of Buffon.Buffon secured him a post as an underpaid assistant at the Jardin des Plantes, from which position he was able to propose the transformation of the Jardin des Plantes into the Natural History Museum. In the grandiose manner of the day, he was appointed to the study of “invertebrates” a word which he coined & a subject about which he knew little at the onset. He also coined the word “biology”.The invertebrate collections at the Musée were enormous and rapidly growing, but poorly organized and classified. The professorship of "insects and worms" was definitely the least prestigious. But Lamarck rose to the challenge of creating a new field of biology, publishing many works & writings throughout his long career. While the ideas involved were not Lamarck's own, he has come to personify pre-Darwinian ideas on evolution. Lamarckian evolution is now a discredited theory, but he was among the early scientist to entertain such theories & Darwin recognizes him in the Evolution of the Species.His work was never popular during his lifetime. Lamarck did not enjoy the respect or prestige enjoyed by his patron Buffon or his colleague & rival Cuvier, who attempted to discredit his theories. Lamarck struggled with life long poverty & lack of recognition for his contributions to science. When he died, on December 28, 1829, he received a pauper’s funeral, buried in a grave for five years & then dug up, probably to be placed among the huge quantities of bones stored in the catacombs of Paris.Each original antique print is folio size, with the singles measuring approximately 8.5 inches by 11.5 inches. The paper is a strong, soft white chain lined type, bearing the Whatman watermark. Some were drawn by Redoute or his brother & are so signed in the plate. No descriptive text or title page available. Condition notes for this listing - Prints are in good condition on lightly toned to toned paper. Because these prints are antiques you can expect them to have some imperfections due to age and handling. Please review the image carefully to assess condition. No title page available for this work. About Condition Terms - Toning or Age toning - Toning is the darkening of paper over time. Toning comes in varying degree, from creamy white to very tanned, and is very common in antique prints. Foxing - Foxing is distinct darkening of the paper in small or large spots. Foxing can happen in one fair sized spot or it can be "freckled" all over the paper (and all possible combinations). Offset or Text offset - Offset happens when the print has been in direct contact with a page of text for an extended period of time. Offset can be dark where the ink has smudged or transferred onto the print, or light when the acids in the ink have burned (toned) the facing print. Trimmed - Trimming happens (usually during the binding process) when one or more margins (top, bottom, left or right) is cut down to fit in the selected binding. Unfortunately, trimming can sometimes effect the image area inside the plate mark. Plate Mark - The area that the image occupies. If you look closely at a copper plate engraving you can see the depression where the copper plate was pressed into the paper while the image was being printed, that is the plate mark. Soiling - Any mark on the paper that isn't part of the printing process. Remember, these prints came from a magazine that was later bound into volumes. Sometimes people aren't very careful with books and magazines and often handle them without washing their hands (this may be especially true of botanical magazine that was marketed to, avid, wealthy gardeners). So, there may be actual dirt on the 200ish year old print. Note on Shipping - These prints will be shipped rolled. Rolling is cost effective & non-damaging. Many top tier print dealers roll their prints for shipment. Once your prints arrive, unroll them and put them between two heavy books for a couple of days and they should flatten out beautifully. Alternatively, your framer can press them out.

Price: 19.99 USD

Location: Spokane, Washington

End Time: 2024-10-11T16:35:05.000Z

Shipping Cost: 3.75 USD