Description historique : Exceptionnel album de luxe grand format publié vers 1893 (Belle Époque). Cet ouvrage est une référence de l'art animalier de la fin du XIXe siècle, illustré par les plus grands maîtres de l'époque.
Illustrations (Le point fort) : Le livre contient de magnifiques chromolithographies hors-texte (planches couleurs sur papier fort) d'une grande fraîcheur. Vous y trouverez notamment :
Otto EERELMAN : Superbes portraits de Chevaux et Chiens (dont le Grand Danois).
Henriette RONNER-KNIP : La célèbre planche "Folâtrerie" mettant en scène des chats, très recherchée.
Artistes complémentaires : Auguste Legras (chiens), Ter Meulen, Van der Weele.
L'année de sortie exacte de votre exemplaire est 1893.
Voici les précisions historiques qui permettent de dater cet ouvrage :
Chronologie de l'œuvre : La version originale (en néerlandais) a été publiée en 1890. L'édition française, intitulée Les Animaux Domestiques, a été adaptée et publiée à Paris par les éditeurs Goubaud et Cie (parfois mentionnés avec les Librairies de la Nature) entre 1892 et 1893.
L'artiste principal : Otto Eerelman a travaillé sur les peintures de cet album de 1887 à 1890. Le temps nécessaire pour graver les chromolithographies (les planches couleurs) explique le décalage de quelques années pour la sortie en France.
Le contexte de l'époque : En 1893, ce livre était considéré comme un ouvrage de grand luxe. Il n'était pas vendu en librairie classique comme un roman, mais souvent par souscription ou dans des magasins spécialisés dans les arts et les sciences naturelles.
1893 Antique Folio Les Animaux Domestiques Eerelman Ronner-Knip Litho Cats Dogs
A Rare & Monumental Victorian Era Fine Art Folio
"Les Animaux Domestiques" (Domestic Animals) — 1893 First Edition
Illustrated by Otto Eerelman & Henriëtte Ronner-Knip
This exceptional 19th-century work represents one of the summits of European color printing and animalier illustration. Published in 1893, this monumental folio showcases full-page, multi-pass chromolithographic plates executed with extraordinary technical accuracy after the original oil paintings of the two undisputed master animal painters of the Dutch Golden Age of impressionism: Otto Eerelman (1839–1926) and Henriëtte Ronner-Knip (1821–1909).
This work is widely prized by art historians, bibliophiles, and specialized collectors for its breathtaking naturalism, capturing with remarkable anatomical precision the coats, bone structure, and distinctive temperaments of working dogs, companion cats, thoroughbred horses, and livestock.
Full Title: Les Animaux Domestiques : leurs races, leurs mœurs, leur hygiène, leur utilité
Publication Date: 1893 (Original First French Edition)
Language: French (Text)
Format & Dimensions: Imperial Large Folio (approx. 43 x 33 cm / 17 x 13 inches)
Printing Technique: Fine multi-stone chromolithography printed on heavy rag-paper stock, with original tissue guards (serpentes) present.
Subjects Covered:
Felines: Longhair & shorthair cats, kittens at play, studio portraits.
Canines: Hunting hounds, terriers, companion breeds, working farm dogs.
Equines & Farm Life: Draft horses, thoroughbreds, cattle, and rural scenes.
Binding & Spine: Original publisher’s deluxe cloth/leather-backed binding. The structure remains remarkably firm, square, and sound. Inner hinges are intact with no split canvas. Minor age-appropriate shelf wear to board extremities, bumped corners, and light rubbing along the spine edges.
Text Block & Paper Quality: Text pages display natural, uniform age-toning. Paper remains supple and strong, not brittle. Light, scattered foxing is present, primarily confined to the outer margins and blank preliminary leaves, leaving the printed areas clean.
Chromolithographic Plates: The color plates are in outstanding visual condition. The inks retain their original saturation, deep contrast, and vivid palette without sun-fading. The protective tissue guards have preserved the impression surfaces from rubbing or offsetting.
Defects / Flaws: No missing pages, no cut plates, no ink signatures, no library bookplates, and no modern tape repairs.
Note for buyers: Please inspect the comprehensive, high-resolution photography gallery attached to this listing for a complete page-by-page visual breakdown.
Henriëtte Ronner-Knip: Renowned across Europe and Victorian England as the premiere cat painter of her era. Her original oil compositions regularly command major results at Sotheby’s and Christie’s fine art auctions.
Otto Eerelman: Official court painter to the Dutch Royal Family, globally celebrated for his equine portraits and working dog studies.
Custom Protective Packaging: To ensure this heavy folio arrives in pristine condition anywhere in the world, it is packed using a multi-layer protective armor:
Waterproof acid-free archival film wrapping.
High-density shock-absorbing bubble wrap.
Rigid edge and corner protectors.
Heavy-duty double-walled corrugated shipping container.
Shipping Method: Dispatch via Priority International Express Mail (Colissimo International / DHL / FedEx) with full tracking, required signature upon delivery, and declared value insurance.
Customs & Import Duties: Import duties, taxes, and local customs charges are not included in the item price or shipping cost. These charges remain the buyer's sole responsibility under international trade regulations.