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Nature's Living Palette | Original Reichenbach Hummingbird Engraving
  • Nature's Living Palette | Original Reichenbach Hummingbird Engraving
  • Nature's Living Palette | Original Reichenbach Hummingbird Engraving
  • Nature's Living Palette | Original Reichenbach Hummingbird Engraving
  • Nature's Living Palette | Original Reichenbach Hummingbird Engraving
Nature's Living Palette | Original Reichenbach Hummingbird Engraving
Sparkling-tailed Hummingbird (Tilmatura lepida) – Original Hand-Colored Engraving by Ludwig Reichenbach, Antique Print Sparkling-tailed Hummingbird (Tilmatura lepida) – Original Hand-Colored Engraving by Ludwig Reichenbach, Antique Print Sparkling-tailed Hummingbird (Tilmatura lepida) – Original Hand-Colored Engraving by Ludwig Reichenbach, Antique Print Sparkling-tailed Hummingbird (Tilmatura lepida) – Original Hand-Colored Engraving by Ludwig Reichenbach, Antique Print

Sparkling-tailed Hummingbird (Tilmatura lepida) – Original Hand-Colored Engraving by Ludwig Reichenbach, Antique Print

€395.00
Tax included

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.

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  Authentic antique prints

Original engravings from the 17th–19th century.

Nature's Living Palette: Emerald Hummingbirds Among Crimson and Gold Blossoms

This magnificent original nineteenth-century hand-colored engraving from Ludwig Reichenbach's Trochilinarum Enumeratio portrays Tilmatura lepida, an elegant hummingbird associated by Reichenbach with the tropical landscapes of Mexico and Guatemala. Emerald plumage, crimson accents and luminous golden blossoms combine to create one of the most vibrant and decorative compositions of the series.

Rather than presenting the bird as an isolated specimen, Reichenbach places it within a rich botanical setting centred on Passiflora caerulea. The result is a composition where colour, movement and natural history merge into a vivid celebration of the tropical world.

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Visual Analysis

The composition is built around an elegant dialogue of colour. Rich crimson blossoms occupy the upper half of the engraving, while generous golden flowers illuminate the lower section. The hummingbirds link these contrasting botanical settings, creating a dynamic visual rhythm that guides the eye naturally across the plate.

The luminous emerald plumage acts as the visual bridge between red and gold, producing a remarkably balanced palette that feels both scientifically precise and artistically sophisticated. The generous use of white space enhances the intensity of every colour, allowing each botanical and ornithological element to breathe within the composition.

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About the Species

This engraving depicts Tilmatura lepida, recorded by Reichenbach in association with Mexico and Guatemala. The plate presents the species through multiple poses, allowing the viewer to appreciate its delicate proportions, refined plumage and graceful movement among flowering plants.

Reichenbach associated Tilmatura lepida with Passiflora caerulea L., one of the most recognisable passionflowers of the Americas. Its nectar-bearing blossoms illustrate the remarkable ecological relationship between hummingbirds and tropical flowering plants, where specialised flowers and long-billed pollinators evolved together over countless generations.

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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: Tilmatura lepida (Lichtenstein, 1830)
Common name: Sparkling-tailed Hummingbird
Work: Trochilinarum Enumeratio
Author: Ludwig Reichenbach
Date: c. 1855–1860
Technique: Original hand-colored engraving
Plate: DCCXI (711)
Reference numbers: 4610–4614
Inscription: ad naturam (“drawn from life”)
Associated plant: Passiflora caerulea L.
Origin noted by Reichenbach: Mexico and Guatemala
Sheet size: approx. 28.5 × 22.5 cm

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