Original nineteenth-century hand-colored engraving depicting the Jamaican Mango (Anthracothorax mango), a striking tropical hummingbird illustrated by Ludwig Reichenbach in his celebrated Trochilinarum Enumeratio.
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Original engravings from the 17th–19th century.
This original nineteenth-century hand-colored engraving depicts the Jamaican Mango (Anthracothorax mango), a striking tropical hummingbird illustrated by Ludwig Reichenbach in his celebrated Trochilinarum Enumeratio. The plate combines careful natural history observation with a refined decorative composition.
Three hummingbirds are arranged around the pale flower of Carica papaya, their emerald plumage and warm coppery tones creating a graceful sense of movement. The result is an elegant composition in which scientific illustration, botanical observation and ornamental beauty meet with remarkable balance.
This plate stands out for its warm, harmonious palette. The birds’ deep green plumage is enriched by copper and bronze tones, while the large pale papaya blossom provides a soft visual anchor within the composition. The three figures create a natural rhythm: two birds are shown perched above, while a third appears in flight below.
The engraving has a quietly decorative character, less dramatic than some of the ruby or sapphire plates, but exceptionally refined. Its balance of foliage, flower and bird movement makes it particularly suitable for studies, libraries, refined living rooms and curated natural history walls.
Anthracothorax mango, commonly known as the Jamaican Mango, is one of the classic tropical hummingbirds recorded in nineteenth-century ornithology. Reichenbach listed the species across a broad geographical range, including the Antilles, Brazil, Paraguay, British Guiana, Mexico, New Granada and East Florida.
The species was admired for its iridescent green plumage, warm underparts and elegant form. In this engraving, Reichenbach presents the bird in multiple poses, transforming taxonomic observation into a composition of movement, colour and tropical grace.
Reichenbach associated this plate with Carica papaya, the papaya plant, whose pale blossom forms an important visual element in the composition. This botanical reference adds a valuable natural history dimension, connecting the hummingbirds to the flowering plants of the tropical environments they inhabit.
The papaya blossom gives the engraving a distinctive character: softer and more intimate than a purely ornamental flower, yet immediately evocative of warm tropical landscapes. Its presence reinforces the ecological relationship between hummingbirds and nectar-bearing plants, while adding depth to the decorative reading of the plate.
This engraving belongs to Ludwig Reichenbach’s remarkable world of hummingbirds, where Victorian scientific curiosity meets extraordinary visual elegance. Explore the story behind Trochilinarum Enumeratio and discover why these original hummingbird engravings remain so compelling today.
Very Good condition. Original nineteenth-century paper with strong hand-colouring, generous margins and a well-preserved impression. Visible plate mark consistent with period intaglio printing. Minor age-related marks may be present, fully consistent with authenticity and historical character.
Species: Anthracothorax mango
Common name: Jamaican Mango
Work: Trochilinarum Enumeratio
Author: Ludwig Reichenbach
Date: c. 1855–1860
Technique: Original hand-colored engraving
Plate: DCCXC (790)
Reference number: 4839–41
Associated plant: Carica papaya
Inscription: ad naturam (“drawn from life”)
Origin noted by Reichenbach: Antilles, Brazil, Paraguay, British Guiana, Mexico, New Granada, East Florida
Sheet size: approx. 28.5 × 22.5 cm
Specific References
Original nineteenth-century hand-colored engraving by Ludwig Reichenbach, depicting three hummingbirds among pink blossoms. A rare later plate from the Trochilinarum Enumeratio corpus, not fully documented in the principal published index.
Original nineteenth-century hand-colored engraving depicting the Green-tailed Trainbearer (Lesbia bifurcata), one of Ludwig Reichenbach’s most elegant hummingbird compositions from Trochilinarum Enumeratio.
Original nineteenth-century hand-colored engraving depicting Coeligena sagittata and the hummingbird identified by Reichenbach as Warszewiczii (later associated with Helianthea iris Gould). A visually striking composition featuring emerald plumage, warm copper tones and two botanical species from Northern Peru.
An original nineteenth-century hand-colored engraving from Ludwig Reichenbach's Trochilinarum Enumeratio, portraying emerald hummingbirds feeding among brilliant crimson and golden blossoms. A refined natural history composition celebrating the extraordinary colours and botanical diversity of the tropical forest.
An exceptional original hand-colored engraving from Ludwig Reichenbach's Trochilinarum Enumeratio, depicting the magnificent Crimson Topaz (Topaza pyra) beside its beautifully woven nest. One of the rarest behavioural studies in nineteenth-century ornithological illustration, combining scientific observation with remarkable decorative elegance.
Original nineteenth-century hand-colored engraving depicting the Purple-throated Carib (Eulampis jugularis), one of the most spectacular Caribbean hummingbirds illustrated in Ludwig Reichenbach’s Trochilinarum Enumeratio.
Original nineteenth-century hand-colored engraving by Ludwig Reichenbach, depicting three hummingbirds among pink blossoms. A rare later plate from the Trochilinarum Enumeratio corpus, not fully documented in the principal published index.
An original nineteenth-century hand-colored engraving from Ludwig Reichenbach's Trochilinarum Enumeratio, depicting hummingbirds surrounding their nest among brilliant tubular blossoms. This elegant composition celebrates the harmony between tropical birds, flowers and the delicate cycle of new life.
An original nineteenth-century hand-colored engraving from Ludwig Reichenbach's Trochilinarum Enumeratio, depicting Mango Hummingbirds feeding among elegant tropical blossoms. This refined composition celebrates the remarkable evolutionary relationship between hummingbirds and the flowers they pollinate.
An original nineteenth-century hand-colored engraving from Ludwig Reichenbach's Trochilinarum Enumeratio, depicting Lesbia victoriae among spectacular tropical blossoms. A refined natural history composition celebrating the remarkable partnership between hummingbirds and flowering plants.
An exceptional original hand-colored engraving from Ludwig Reichenbach's Trochilinarum Enumeratio, depicting five brilliant hummingbirds feeding among scarlet tropical flowers. Featuring Esmeralda, Euchloris and Maculicollis, this dynamic nineteenth-century composition beautifully combines botanical richness with the elegance of Victorian ornithological illustration.
Original nineteenth-century hand-colored engraving from the rare Sylphae section associated with Ludwig Reichenbach's Trochilinarum Enumeratio. Plate 821 depicts two brilliantly coloured hummingbirds among delicate white blossoms.
An original nineteenth-century hand-colored engraving from Ludwig Reichenbach's Trochilinarum Enumeratio, depicting three hummingbirds gathered around elegant pendulous blossoms. One of the most harmonious compositions of the series, celebrating movement, colour and the timeless relationship between hummingbirds and flowering plants.
An original nineteenth-century hand-colored engraving from Ludwig Reichenbach's Trochilinarum Enumeratio, depicting Chrysuronia eliciae among the tropical blossoms of Pitcairnia exscapa. A richly composed Victorian natural history plate celebrating hummingbirds, botanical diversity and the living complexity of tropical ecosystems.
An exceptionally decorative nineteenth-century hand-colored engraving depicting the Crimson Topaz (Topaza pyra), one of the most spectacular hummingbirds of the Amazon Basin. Published by Ludwig Reichenbach in Trochilinarum Enumeratio, the composition combines vibrant colour, remarkable movement and a rarely encountered nesting scene.
An original nineteenth-century hand-colored engraving from Ludwig Reichenbach's Trochilinarum Enumeratio, portraying elegant long-tailed hummingbirds suspended among cascading tropical blossoms. This exceptionally decorative composition combines graceful movement, botanical beauty and the refined artistry of Victorian natural history illustration.