1834

Artist Kiener /Author  

Print Size: 6" x 9" / Mat Size: 9" x 12"

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Each print measures approximately 6 inches by 9 inches.

We are very pleased to offer these rare hand colored stipple engravings from Louis-Charles Kiener’s Species Generale et Iconographie des Coquiles Vivantes, 1834-1879.   This is a scarce work indeed, having only a few listings at auction in the past 20 years.  We have been fortunate to find partial sets twice in the past 5 years, this one in particularly excellent condition. 

Louis-Charles Kiener was born in France in 1799 and died in1881.  He took a keen interest in conchology, and at a time when lithography had become the most popular form of printing, he opted to illustrate his love of shells with stipple engravings and hand coloring.  A contemporary of Jean-Charles Chenu who is also one of the all time greatest illustrators of shells, Kiener spent part of his career as the curator of Baron J. P. B. Delessert’s natural history collection at Lyon as did Chenu who followed Kiener in this position.  Kiener’s and Chenu’s illustrations of shells are notable for being the finest ever engraved and brightly and accurately hand colored.  This very rare work was comprised of 903 engravings and can be found in Nissen 2183 and Dance’s The Art of Natural History pp 106-107.

Each print with ORIGINAL HAND COLORING measures approximately 6" by 9".  There is a title page, but no descriptive text. The condition of these prints is good, with vibrant hand colouring & soft creamy paper with very few defects. The shells are all beautifully arranged and finely hand colored.