Dictionnaire des sciences naturelles: Planches Zoologie: Vers et Zoophytes

Very good copy of the Worms and Zoophytes part from Cuvier's huge Dictionary of Natural Sciences

Complete with all 116 hand-coloured stipple engraved plates of Vermes and Cnidaria

All the illustrations by Jean-Gabriel Prêtre, under the direction of Pierre Jean François Turpin, and engraved by Louis Massard, Plée, Joyeau and Madame Joyeau, Victor, Coignet and Mlle. Coignet, Louvier and Madame Louvier, Torquati, Mlle. Perrot, etc.

Vers et Zoophytes: Title page, 32pp (tables of plates, index), 48 handcoloured engraved plates of tubeworms, bristleworms, and other marine creatures, 68 handcoloured engraved plates of coral animals, jellyfish, sea anemones, sea pens, sponges, etc.

Part of Cuvier's massive Dictionary of Natural Sciences that was published in 60 text volumes and 13 plate volumes from 1816 to 1830.

Jean-Gabriel Prêtre (1768-1849) was a Swiss-French natural history painter who illustrated a large number of books for Cuvier, Louis Pierre Vieillot, René Primevère Lesson, Comte de Lacépède, Richard Achille, and many other French zoologists.

Pierre Jean François Turpin (1775-1840) was a French botanist and illustrator. He is considered one of the greatest floral and botanical illustrators during the Napoleonic Era and after.

Rebacked with brown cloth spine with gilt title, original marble boards retained, "Library of Congress" bookplate on front endpaper, book block solid. Stipple engraved plates mostly clean apart from overall slight dustiness and age-toning, mostly under tissue guards, hand-colour vivid and bright.

Very good copy of this increasingly rare series by two giants of natural history illustration.