Pair Of Engraving By Martinet, Eighteenth Century.

These two copper engravings enhanced with watercolor represent "Le grand Paon bleu de Cayenne" and "Le Festonné de la Guadeloupe", they were drawn and engraved by Martinet. Period second half of the 18th century. François-Nicolas Martinet (1731-1800) trained as an engineer and draftsman. Engraving was initially a secondary profession, but its popularity led him to make it his main activity. He carries out the engraving of very many works of natural history. He engraved bird illustrations for the works of the most influential French ornithologists of the 18th century. In particular, he collaborated on the Natural History, general and particular, with the description of the Cabinet du Roy, by Buffon by engraving the 1,008 illustrations of the 9 volumes devoted to Birds produced between 1770 and 1783. The plates of the butterflies are part of the bird history. He probably died at the end of the 1790s. Good state of preservation. 20th century frames 52 cm x 46.5 cm, dimensions of the boards 48 cm x 34 cm, dimensions at sight 33 cm x 27 cm.