Abbé Pierre Joseph Bonnaterre (1752-1804)  French naturalist who contributed sections on cetaceans, mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and insects to the “Tableau Encyclopédique et Méthodique“,1823.  He was the first scientist to study the feral child Victor of Aveyron (c. 1788 – 1828), whose life inspired François Truffaut’s film, “The Wild Child”/”L’Enfant sauvage” (1970).

Additionally, Bonnaterre is credited with identifying about 25 new species of fish – 400 illustrations of said and related species appear in his encyclopedic work.

Birds (4) Hand colored copper engraving on laid paper from Tableau encyclopédique et méthodique des trois règnes de la nature, ornithologie 1790/1791 Panckoucke, Paris  OD 11 1/2″ x 8 1/2″ Plate 10″ x  Plate 10″ x  approximately 7″-edge not readily visible. Some foxing and a blemish on the bottom middle margin, outside plate mark, not affecting image. Overall good condition.

$250