Histoire Naturelle Des Oiseaux De Buffon Illustrée Par Les Gravures De François-Nicolas Martinet

An ambitious encyclopaedia in thirty-six volumes, written over a period of more than forty years, Buffon's (1707-1788) Histoire naturelle is a veritable literary and scientific monument. The nine volumes devoted to birds marked the birth of modern ornithological science. A tool for science, the Natural History of Birds is also an artistic masterpiece in its own right, unrivalled in the exceptional quality of its illustrations, which combine the finesse of its lines with the brilliance of its colours, making it an essential treasure trove of ornithological heritage.

The scope of the descriptions needed to characterise each bird (morphology, plumage, lifestyle, etc.) led Buffon to enlist the illustrative talents of the naturalist and engraver François-Nicolas Martinet (1731-1800). 1008 plates were drawn, stamped and coloured in watercolour, to support the description of the different species and their varieties.

Produced in a limited edition and sold in separate booklets, the set of coloured plates has long been difficult to access. The present work reproduces all the texts and original engravings from the remarkable deluxe edition kept at the museum in Montbard, Buffon's family home.