Original Hand-coloured engravings
PUBLICATIONS
“Natural History of British Birds”, 1st edition, 1731-38
“Histoire Naturelle des Oiseaux”, French edition, 1735-50.
ARTIST: Eleazar ALBIN
(Select an image below to link to the print's details).
ABOUT THE PUBLICATION / EDITOR / ARTIST
Eleazar ALBIN (1680–1742)
Eleazar Albin is one of the most obscure of the 18th century natural history illustrators. However, it seems he was a German professional painter who settled in England in 1707, where he married and raised a family, changing his name from Weiss to Albin. He illustrated works on insects and spiders, earning his living by making watercolors of the collections of wealthy patrons, including Sir Hans Sloane, whose collection founded the British Museum.
His work on birds was done late in his life & was the first large English work on ornithology, hand–colored by Albin and his daughter Elizabeth & published initially in London from 1731–1738. Just 86 subscribers are listed for the first volume, 110 for the second, and 122 for the third volume.
Albin's “Natural History of British Birds”, 1st edition, was published in London between 1731–38.
The French edition, “Histoire Naturelle des Oiseaux”, by Eleazar Albin was published from 1735-50.
