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Emerald Wings Among Scarlet Blossoms | Original Reichenbach Hummingbird Engraving
  • Emerald Wings Among Scarlet Blossoms | Original Reichenbach Hummingbird Engraving
  • Emerald Wings Among Scarlet Blossoms | Original Reichenbach Hummingbird Engraving
  • Emerald Wings Among Scarlet Blossoms | Original Reichenbach Hummingbird Engraving
  • Emerald Wings Among Scarlet Blossoms | Original Reichenbach Hummingbird Engraving
Emerald Wings Among Scarlet Blossoms | Original Reichenbach Hummingbird Engraving
Esmeralda, Euchloris and Maculicollis Hummingbirds with Achimenes and Epidendrum – Hand-Colored Engraving by Reichenbach,  Print Esmeralda, Euchloris and Maculicollis Hummingbirds with Achimenes and Epidendrum – Hand-Colored Engraving by Reichenbach,  Print Esmeralda, Euchloris and Maculicollis Hummingbirds with Achimenes and Epidendrum – Hand-Colored Engraving by Reichenbach,  Print Esmeralda, Euchloris and Maculicollis Hummingbirds with Achimenes and Epidendrum – Hand-Colored Engraving by Reichenbach,  Print

Esmeralda, Euchloris and Maculicollis Hummingbirds with Achimenes and Epidendrum – Hand-Colored Engraving by Reichenbach, Print

€395.00
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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.

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  Authentic antique prints

Original engravings from the 17th–19th century.

Emerald Wings Among Scarlet Blossoms: A Symphony of Tropical Flight

This spectacular original nineteenth-century hand-colored engraving from Ludwig Reichenbach's Trochilinarum Enumeratio presents five hummingbirds in continuous flight among brilliant tropical blossoms. Bringing together the species Esmeralda, Euchloris and Maculicollis, the composition captures the extraordinary vitality and elegance that made hummingbirds one of the greatest fascinations of Victorian natural history.

The engraving combines scientific precision with remarkable artistic refinement. Brilliant emerald plumage contrasts with vivid scarlet flowers, while the birds appear suspended in perpetual motion, each adopting a different posture as they approach the nectar-rich blossoms. The result is one of the most energetic and visually captivating plates of Reichenbach's celebrated work.

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Visual Analysis

Unlike plates devoted to a single specimen, this composition creates an authentic aerial choreography. Five hummingbirds occupy different levels of the image, their wings frozen in rapid motion while converging on flowering plants that structure the entire scene. The careful arrangement produces remarkable visual balance despite the constant suggestion of movement.

The luminous emerald feathers are beautifully enhanced by the intense reds and oranges of the blossoms, producing a sophisticated chromatic dialogue that immediately attracts the eye. Both scientifically significant and highly decorative, the engraving possesses the timeless elegance that characterises the finest nineteenth-century natural history illustration.

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About the Species

Reichenbach assembled three closely related hummingbirds on this remarkable plate: Esmeralda, Euchloris and Maculicollis. Rather than isolating each bird, he chose to represent them together within a shared botanical environment, illustrating both their diversity and their specialised feeding behaviour.

The original index associates the plate with two tropical flowering plants: Achimenes pedunculata Benth. and Epidendrum cinnabarinum Salzm. Their tubular blossoms provide an ideal source of nectar for long-billed hummingbirds and reinforce the ecological relationship between these extraordinary birds and the flowering plants of New Granada and Peru documented throughout Trochilinarum Enumeratio.

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Heritage Stories

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.

Ludwig Reichenbach and the Art of Hummingbirds →

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Condition Report

Very Good condition. Original nineteenth-century paper with strong hand colouring and a clear plate mark. Minor age-related signs may be present, entirely consistent with authenticity and the historical character of the work.

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Details

Species: Esmeralda, Euchloris and Maculicollis
Work: Trochilinarum Enumeratio
Author: Ludwig Reichenbach
Date: c. 1855–1860
Technique: Original hand-colored engraving
Plate: DCXCIV (694)
Reference numbers: 4542–46
Inscription: ad naturam (“drawn from life”)
Associated plants: Achimenes pedunculata Benth. and Epidendrum cinnabarinum Salzm.
Origin noted by Reichenbach: New Granada and Peru
Sheet size: approx. 28.5 × 22.5 cm

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