Carabe (Plate 178) by Robert Bénard

Carabe (Plate 178) by Robert Bénard

C. 1797

Hand Colored Engraving

This striking 18th-century natural history print offers a finely detailed visual inventory of ground beetles under the heading Carabe (Plate 178). The composition showcases an array of colorful specimens meticulously rendered from a dorsal view to highlight their segmented antennae, distinct body structures, and vivid coloration, which ranges from iridescent greens and deep blues to patterned golds. Each beetle is labeled with its early taxonomic common name, including Le Carabe Scrutateur and Le Carabe Sycophante. Produced under the direction of master engraver Robert Bénard (inscribed as "Benard Direxit"), this hand-colored copperplate engraving was published circa 1797 as part of Charles-Joseph Panckoucke’smonumental series Histoire Naturelle, Insectes.

The print stems from the Encyclopédie Méthodique, an ambitious French publishing venture designed to expand and systematically improve upon Diderot and d’Alembert's famous Encyclopédie. Robert Bénard, a highly skilled French printmaker and director of engraving workshops during the late 18th century, was uniquely vital to this massive project, overseeing the production of thousands of technical and scientific plates to ensure rigorous accuracy. This particular engraving is of significant historical importance because it documents the early scientific efforts to classify the diverse Carabidae family during the Enlightenment, reflecting a societal pivot toward empirical observation and the democratic dissemination of natural history knowledge.

Dimensions: H 11 ½” x 8” W

Condition: In very good condition