This is not a hand-colored engraving, it is an original, beautifully executed ink and watercolor drawing—one of four watercolors I purchased from a German seller, which appear all done by the same person, likely c. 1800. Photos do no justice to the real thing. I would guess they were the original drawings after which engravings were then made for a volume on animal life. I find it, and all of them, just extraordinarily beautiful, and their amazing detail amplifies the sense of wonder at the creatures represented to begin with. Pure pleasure, and even better for the hand-written notes on the reverse, which seem to speak to the watercolors as being very much part of a work in progress. The notes on the reverse of this one detail birds of prey, corresponding I believe to another page following, while I believe it is a spotted dove depicted here.
10 5/8" x 8 1/4". ink and watercolor on laid. Very good condition, with minor toning/soling and a few names/notes/scribbles in ink surrounding the bird, original to the drawing.
