Set of Three Ornithological Prints after Mark Catesby - 22" x 16¼"

This decorative set of three large framed ornithological prints reproduces plates from the celebrated work of English naturalist and artist Mark Catesby (1683–1749), The Natural History of Carolina, Florida and the Bahama Islands. The present examples are later reissues, likely dating from the late 19th century. The group comprises two vertical compositions and one horizontal format, each combining carefully observed birds with botanical elements from their natural habitats. They are presented under glass in simple wooden frames and are ready to hang. One frame is beginning to separate slightly and should be handled with care.

Catesby traveled through Virginia, the Carolinas and the Bahamas during the early 18th century, recording the region’s plants and animals for his monumental The Natural History of Carolina, Florida and the Bahama Islands, published in parts between 1729 and 1747. He worked from his own drawings, learned to etch the copper plates himself, and supervised the hand-coloring of the original impressions. His innovative compositions frequently placed birds alongside the plants associated with their habitats, giving the plates both scientific interest and unusual decorative richness. The work became one of the landmark publications of early North American natural history.

Hung together above a console, sideboard or sofa, the differing orientations create a relaxed, visually engaging composition; they could equally be dispersed along a hallway, library or stairwell. Their combination of birds, foliage and softly colored natural-history imagery would bring a scholarly, collected character to an interior, pairing naturally with antique furniture, books and botanical objects while remaining graphic enough to sit comfortably in a more contemporary setting.