Flying Gurnard Striped Wrasse (Pterois volitans, Tenianotus striatus) – Original hand-colored engraving by Prêtre, Antique Print

Winged Anatomy and Chromatic Authority in Early Marine Illustration

This refined zoological engraving presents two marine fishes arranged for comparison: the Flying Gurnard, Pterois volitans, and the Striped Wrasse, Tenianotus striatus. The plate foregrounds fin architecture and pattern as scientific information, demonstrating how early nineteenth-century natural history relied on comparison to articulate diversity.

Rather than offering ornament alone, the engraving emphasizes morphological intelligibility. Each fin ray is individually engraved, body markings are structured with disciplined repetition, and the hand-colouring reinforces form — from warm golds and oranges to the deep, saturated blues that define the dominant figure’s expanded fins.

The plate belongs to the Italian edition of the Dizionario di Scienze Naturali (Florence, Battelli press), one of the most ambitious encyclopedic scientific enterprises of its time, for which Pierre Antoine Prêtre produced some of the most accomplished zoological illustrations of marine life.

— • —

Visual and Aesthetic Analysis

The composition is structured around a dominant central figure whose expanded fins create a bold triangular geometry across the sheet. The interplay between warm pigments and deep blue fields generates a striking tonal contrast, while fine stippling preserves transparency and lightness within the fin membranes.

The secondary specimen, smaller and cooler in palette, introduces a counter-rhythm of line and banding that stabilizes the composition. Together, the two figures produce equilibrium between spectacle and discipline, transforming zoological documentation into a plate of quiet decorative authority.

About the Subject

The Flying Gurnard, Pterois volitans, is celebrated for its dramatic fin expansion — a “winged” anatomy that made such species culturally emblematic of the nineteenth-century imagination of tropical seas. For European audiences, these forms signified the marvels of distant waters encountered through exploration and global trade, and they became some of the most iconic subjects in antique fish engravings. The Striped Wrasse, Tenianotus striatus, provides a contrasting taxonomy and a second visual logic, reinforcing the encyclopedic method of comparison. As a 19th-century marine life print, this plate is especially sought after: it combines scientific clarity with maximal decorative impact, making it one of the strongest formats for collectors of antique scientific illustration and refined coastal interiors.

Condition Report

The engraving is in excellent antique condition. The sheet presents clean margins and a well-preserved impression. The paper is smooth early nineteenth-century wove paper (non-laid), consistent with Italian scientific editions of the period. No watermark has been observed. The original hand-colouring remains vivid and balanced, with no visible losses.

Details

• Artist: Pierre Antoine Prêtre
• Work / Publication: Dizionario di Scienze Naturali – Sacchetti Collection
• Period: early 19th century
• Technique: Original hand-colored engraving
• Paper: Original smooth wove paper
• Watermark: None observed
• Sheet size: approximately 22 × 15 cm

For further context on Pierre Antoine Prêtre and his contribution to nineteenth-century zoological illustration, see our editorial feature:

Pierre Antoine Prêtre – Illustrator of Natural Science and Marine Life