Capricorne (Plate 207) by Robert Bénard

Capricorne (Plate 207) by Robert Bénard

C. 1797

Hand Colored Engraving

This antique natural history print is a finely detailed copperplate engraving with hand-coloring that showcases various species of longhorn beetles, classified under the French heading Capricorne (Plate 207). Each insect is meticulously depicted from a dorsal perspective to highlight anatomical features like antennae length and wing-case patterns, alongside individual labels such as Le Capricorne Charpentier and Le Capricorne Canelle. The engraving was produced under the artistic direction of Robert Bénard (inscribed as "Benard Direxit" at the bottom right) for Charles-Joseph Panckoucke’s monumental scientific publication Histoire Naturelle, Insectes, which was released circa 1797.

This piece originates from the Encyclopédie Méthodique, a massive, multi-volume French encyclopedia that expanded upon Denis Diderot and Jean le Rond d'Alembert's seminal Encyclopédie. Robert Bénard was a highly prolific French engraver and workshop director renowned for specializing in technical and natural history illustrations, managing the visual consistency of thousands of plates across these encyclopedic projects. This specific print holds historical importance as an artifact of the late Enlightenment era, capturing a critical period when science shifted toward rigorous empirical observation, taxonomy, and the visual mapping of the natural world to make complex entomological studies accessible to the public.

Dimensions: H 11 ½” x 8” W

Condition: In very good condition