4552 François Valentijn (1666–1727) – Exotic Fishes of the Moluccas – Copperplate Engraving – 1724
This copperplate engraving features two distinct registers of exotic fish species native to the waters of the Moluccas (modern-day Indonesia). The upper section presents individual fish specimens arranged in taxonomic profile with numbered labels, emphasizing their unique forms—elongated fins, spiny dorsal ridges, and intricate scale patterns. The lower panel depicts a more decorative composition with reef fish and groupers placed on a shoreline, set against a distant coastal port scene. The engraving combines naturalistic observation with artistic stylization, characteristic of early 18th-century Dutch colonial illustration.
François Valentijn (1666–1727) was a Dutch scholar, naturalist, and missionary for the VOC (Dutch East India Company). His multivolume work Oud en Nieuw Oost-Indiën (1724–26) remains a major source on the flora, fauna, and ethnography of Southeast Asia. As part of that encyclopedic publication, these plates documented marine biodiversity in the archipelago with early European scientific curiosity and elaborate visual presentation.
Artist or Maker:
François Valentijn
Dimensions:
approx. 30 cm x 20 cm
Medium:
Copperplate Engraving
Date:
1724
Condition Report:
This work is in good condition overall. There may be a few minor imperfections or fox or mottled marks to be expected with age. Please review the images carefully for condition details, and feel free to contact us with any questions or for a comprehensive condition report.
| Estimate | 300 - 400 SEK |
| Buyers Premium (inc. VAT) | 25% |
| Hammer Fee (inc. VAT) | 6 SEK |
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