Vieillot / Langlois, White-Crested Flycatcher, Print

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The uploaded handcolored antique print, titled 'Le Moucherolle à huppe blanche', represents a white-crested flycatcher, known for its distinctive plumage. … Read more The uploaded handcolored antique print, titled 'Le Moucherolle à huppe blanche', represents a white-crested flycatcher, known for its distinctive plumage. The bird is shown perched elegantly on a branch, with its head raised, displaying a prominent white crest. Its body is depicted with a mix of subtle color variations, featuring muted shades of olive and gray that accentuate the sleekness of its form. The white crest contrasts sharply with the darker shades of its head and back, drawing attention to the unique feature for which it is named. Below the image, the text 'Le Moucherolle à huppe blanche', 'Musciapa albicapilla', 'pl. 37' provides the common name, scientific name, and plate number of the print. It also references the creators with 'Pretre pinx', 'Langlois sculp.', and 'Bouquet', indicating the artist who painted the original, the engraver, and the person who finished the print, suggesting that it was printed in colors by Langlois and then hand-finished. The condition of the print exhibits signs of age; it has foxing spots scattered throughout and a general yellowing of the paper, which is typical for prints of this era. Nonetheless, the quality of the image and the vibrancy of the colors remain intact, allowing the details of the bird's feathers and posture to be appreciated fully. This print is from 'Histoire Naturelle des Oiseaux de l'Amerique Septentrionale' by Louis Jean Pierre Vieillot, published around 1807, and represents the shift in ornithology towards studying birds in their natural environment. See less