Original Antique Print of various Raja Fish Species

Antique print of illustrating several raja species. Raja, also known as raia, is a genus of skates in the family Rajidae containing 16 species. It includes the brown ray and many others. These rare hand colored copperplate engraving has been selected from a work entitled "Historia Naturalis”, published in Amsterdam in 1657 under the supervision of John Jonston. John Jonston (or Johnstone), a descendant of a Scottish family, was born in Sambter, Poland. He was interested in both medicine and natural sciences, and studied at St. Andrews, Cambridge, and Leiden. He published major natural history studies, including Thaumatographia Naturalis (Amsterdam 1632), a compendium of contemporary knowledge of natural science including astronomy, palaeontology, plants, animals and man. This was followed by Theatrum Universale Omnium Animalium (Frankfurt, 1650), with plates after his drawings engraved by Matthaus Merian depicting the entire range of animal species.

Condition: Good. General age-related toning. Minor wear and foxing. Piece of tape in top margin. Blank verso. Please study images carefully.

Date: 1657

Overall size: 23 x 37 cm.