FRANCOIS NICOLAS MARTINET (FRENCH, 1725-1804) ORNITHOLOGICAL PRINTS, LOT OF FIVE, hand-colored engravings on laid paper, from "Historie Naturelle Des Oiseaux", examples including "Le Kink, de la Chine" and "La Huppe, du Cap de bonne-Esperance", with plate number upper left, four marked for Martinet, two with partial watermark. Each unframed. 1770-1786. Each 9 5/8" x 8" plate. Largest 12 5/8" x 9 1/8" object.
Excellent overall condition with very light toning and discoloration. Each with later pencil notation upper left margin.

Provenance: From Virginia private collection.
Catalogue Note: Francois Nicolas Martinet (1725-1804) was employed at the French Court in the second half of the 18th century as Graveur du Cabinet du Roi. The present illustrations were commissioned by Georges-Marie Louis Leclerc, the Count du Buffon, for his monumental 44-volume work, "Historie Naturelle des Oiseaux", published between the years 1770-1786.

Excellent overall condition with very light toning and discoloration. Each with later pencil notation upper left margin.