Martinet, François-Nicolas Lot n° 543

MARTINET, François-Nicolas (after) Cacicus uropygialis. 1771-1786 Watercolour with traces of graphite, 22,5 x 18 cm, laid paper, unsigned, numbered "482" in brown ink at upper left. Under wooden frame (not studied outside frame). A scarlet-rumped cacique (Cacicus uropygialis). In the style of Martinet's illustrations to Buffon's "Histoire Naturelle, Générale et Particulière". Distinguished by yellow borders, the images generally show one bird in profile with its habitat indicated in a summary way. Martinet trained as an engineer and draftsman but is best remembered as an engraver, with birds being his particular specialty.