"1. Le Heron, 2. L'Aigrette" illustrates a grey heron and an egret in naturalistic profile poses. The grey heron is depicted on the right standing on a small patch of marshy ground with its neck curved, while the egret is shown on the left in a similar upright stance. This plate was published in Brussels between 1833 and 1836 by Th. Lejeune as part of an edition of Buffon’s "Oeuvres complètes", which featured the first lithographed versions of these classic natural history subjects to allow for a more truthful representation of live animals. The work demonstrates the transition from traditional copperplate engraving to the more tonal qualities of lithography during the nineteenth century.Georges-Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon, was a preeminent french naturalist, mathematician, and cosmologist whose monumental work, "Histoire Naturelle", aimed to categorize the entirety of the natural world. Serving as the keeper of the Jardin du Roi in Paris, he transformed the royal gardens into a major research center and published thirty-six volumes during his lifetime. His theories on evolution and the age of the earth significantly influenced subsequent generations of scientists, including Charles Darwin and Jean-Baptiste Lamarck. Buffon's commitment to combining scientific observation with accessible, high-quality illustrations ensured his work remained the definitive reference for natural history throughout the Enlightenment and into the nineteenth century.Artist or Maker: Georges-Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon.Dimensions: Approximately 23 cm x 15 cm.Medium: lithograph (Hand-coloured).Date: 1833–1836.SKL61

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