Jacques de Seve, Anatomical Studies, Etching, 1771

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Plate from Buffon's Histoire Naturelle, Générale et Particulière Tome III, Plate VI, page 202 Paris, Imprimerie Royale, 1771 Copperplate etching … Read more Plate from Buffon's Histoire Naturelle, Générale et Particulière Tome III, Plate VI, page 202 Paris, Imprimerie Royale, 1771 Copperplate etching and engraving on laid paper Plate mark visible; approx. 24.5 × 19.5 cm This finely executed anatomical plate from the 1771 edition of Buffon’s Histoire Naturelle depicts three studies of the newborn human figure. Identified as “Fig. 1,” “Fig. 2,” and “Fig. 3,” the engravings present frontal and slightly varied views of an infant body rendered with clinical precision. The central figure shows a supine newborn with flexed limbs and detailed modeling of the abdomen, umbilical region, and genital anatomy. The flanking figures provide comparative postural variations, emphasizing proportional structure and developmental form. The composition exemplifies the Enlightenment synthesis of art and science: anatomical observation is presented with clarity, balance, and aesthetic restraint. The delicate yet precise burin work models volume through subtle tonal gradation, while the ample margins and ruled border frame the figures in a format consistent with the Imprimerie Royale’s standards of production. This plate forms part of Buffon’s ambitious natural history project, which sought to classify and describe the natural world—including human anatomy—according to empirical observation. As such, it represents an important artifact of eighteenth-century scientific thought and print culture. This piece is attributed to the mentioned designer/maker. It has no attribution mark and no
official proof of authenticity,
however it is well documented in design history. I take full responsibility for any authenticity



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