A Collection of 32 Hand-coloured Etchings of Birds, Butterflies, and Beetles

A Collection of 32 Hand-Coloured Etchings of Birds, Butterflies, and Beetles Published by A. Fullarton & Co. London and Edinburgh, circa 1890 From A History of the Earth and Animated Nature by Oliver Goldsmith An exceptional collection of thirty-two hand-coloured etchings drawn from A History of the Earth and Animated Nature by Oliver Goldsmith, published by A. Fullarton & Co. in London and Edinburgh during the 19th century. This richly detailed series captures the diversity of the natural world through finely executed hand coloured etchings depicting exotic and native bird species alongside a selection of butterflies and beetles. The avian plates include striking representations of tropical toucans, parrots, birds of paradise, and hummingbirds, contrasted with more familiar European species such as thrushes, finches, and raptors. The accompanying entomological studies feature a pair of hand coloured etchings of butterflies and a pair of hand coloured etchings of beetles rendered with precision in naturalistic tones . Each image is delicately etched and enhanced with colourful washes of watercolour, combining the observational accuracy of 19th-century natural science with the aesthetic sensibility of fine art printmaking. The etchers of A. Fullarton & Co. were among the finest of their period, producing works that balanced clarity and colour with decorative appeal. Goldsmith’s celebrated A History of the Earth and Animated Nature was first published in 1774 and remained in print for over a century, admired for its accessible synthesis of scientific knowledge and its beautifully illustrated plates. The present set represents one of the later Victorian issues, notable for the high quality of paper, impression, and colouring. Measurements of the images within the mount 15cm x 23.5cm. Measurements of the frames 31.5cm x 40cm