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Some doubts on Prévost (1 Viewer)

Martin, I didn´t mean that I agreed in the Key's claim he was an artist (I hope you understood that), I was just informing that your finding of the name Guillaume was now added to the Key's full name of Florent Prévost. In my mind him being called an artist is just a mix-up with Alphonse ...

Don't worry. My disagreement was as well just to the key entry and I agree about your comment mix-up with Lucien Alphonse Prévost (1799-??) (maybe in relationship with Florent).
 
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Even if not connected to any of "our" birds ... also compare with this gang of Prévosts, all "flower painters", illustrators and, in various degrees, botanists. Two of them also mentioned here.

No wonder it´s easy to go astray!
 
Martin, attached is a family tree, or pedigree chart, showing the closest relatives of "Guillaume Florent Prévost, aide-naturaliste au Muséum (1794-1870)" ... found here (far down the page).

He´s also mentioned in the text itself (all in French):
"... était entré au Muséum d’histoire naturelle comme élève en 1812, puis aide naturaliste depuis 1815, spécialisé en zoologie."

Enjoy!
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He had his private collection, and mounted birds, so he was an artist!

I would interpret this job rather as a taxidermist than an artist. But this is my personal opinion and nothing more.

This is from C. E. Jackson, 1999, Dictionary of Bird Artists of the World, p. 399:
PRÉVOST, Florent d. 1870 French naturalist who worked at the natural history museum, Paris from 1832-70 as an artist. A subspecies of Ptilonopus [sic] mercierii was named for him in 1849, and the green-breasted mango, a humming-bird species, Anthracothorax prevostii in 1832. He worked on birds taken to France from the voyage round the world of the corvette La Bonite for nine colour plates. Another two plates, of a Turdus and an Anthus were painted by him for Magasin de Zoologie 1836."

I do not know how C. E. Jackson came to this conclusion. In older literature I always found only aide-naturaliste and not ariste/peintre etc.pp. And as I said I cound't find any evidence that he created the nine colour plates. But maybe it is indeed just a matter of interpretation.

P.S. He worked for Isidore Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire. So I see him closer to science than to art.
 
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To me the mix-up with Alphonse becomes even more obvious after finding out that Florent started to work in "the natural history museum, Paris" (Muséum d’Histoire Naturelle) already in 1812/1815.

Also see here ...

He had his private collection, and mounted birds, so he was an artist!

Even if Florent Prévost, as a taxidermist, could be called an artist (and sure, why not, if you feel like it, it´s a very vague title, covering dancers, movie stars, musicians, potters, etc., etc. ...), but if so only in its wider meaning; a person practicing the Art of Taxidermy, however it would be more difficult to call him, in the same capacity, an illustrator. ;)
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However, the following text does tell us: This far I´ve seen nothing pointing in favour of (Lucien) Alphonse Prévost being the one commemorated in this bird.

Even no bird named after him any more. Some more details on his life.

According here:

Né le 6 octobre 1799.
Informations professionnelles:

Il est l'élève de M. Huet, professeur de peinture au Muséum d'histoire naturelle. Il s'occupe depuis 10 ans de travaux, dessins, peintures et lithographies ayant trait à l'histoire naturelle.

And from Inventaire après décès : Prévost, Lucien-Alphonse. Peintre du muséum d'histoire naturelle. Fossés-Saint-Bernard (rue des), n° 32 we might conclude that he died 1846.

Take it for what's worth.
 
Martin, attached is a family tree, or pedigree chart, showing the closest relatives of "Guillaume Florent Prévost, aide-naturaliste au Muséum (1794-1870)" ... found here (far down the page).

He´s also mentioned in the text itself (all in French):

Enjoy!
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The tree seems not correct. Louis Jacques Alphonse Prévost is according the death record nephew of Guillaume Florent Prévost. And this is in accordance with the testament of Lucien Alphonse Prevost, son père peintre de muséum histoire naturelle. So Alphonse and Florent are brothers.

Can anyone read if Alphonse died 11. July 1846 rues des Fossés-St.-Bernard No 32? Of couse the document is from that year (8.th October 1846).
 

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Apart of the year of death, I have another question. In René Ronsil we can find:

Œuvres complètes de Buffon avec les descriptions anatomiques de Daubenton (Paris, Lagrange et Verdière, 1824-1832, in 8o). Oiseaux : 11 vol. avec 245 pl. Lithographie de C. Motte) et peintres. Elles sont presque toutes de P. Oudart (les autre par PRÉVOST et WERER) et on retrouve ces même figures dans beaucoup d’autre ouvrage de l’époque.

As well

Œuvres complètes, suivies de la classification de Cuvier, Lesson, etc., etc., Nouvelle édition, par M. Richard (Paris, Pourrat 1837 gr. in-8o). Oiseaux: 2 vol. avec 142 pl. col. par PRÊTRE, TRAVIÉS, CHAZAL, PRÉVOST, OUDART, MEUNIER et gravée par BEAUPRÉ, BOUREY, CORBIÉ, A: FOURNIER, GUYARD; LEBRUN; LEGAND; MACEAU; MOINARD; OUDET; PERROT; Mme THOREL.

Where can we find this editions?
 
Apart of the year of death, I have another question. In René Ronsil we can find:
Œuvres complètes de Buffon avec les descriptions anatomiques de Daubenton (Paris, Lagrange et Verdière, 1824-1832, in 8o). Oiseaux : 11 vol. avec 245 pl. Lithographie de C. Motte) et peintres. Elles sont presque toutes de P. Oudart (les autre par PRÉVOST et WERER) et on retrouve ces même figures dans beaucoup d’autre ouvrage de l’époque.
As well
Œuvres complètes, suivies de la classification de Cuvier, Lesson, etc., etc., Nouvelle édition, par M. Richard (Paris, Pourrat 1837 gr. in-8o). Oiseaux: 2 vol. avec 142 pl. col. par PRÊTRE, TRAVIÉS, CHAZAL, PRÉVOST, OUDART, MEUNIER et gravée par BEAUPRÉ, BOUREY, CORBIÉ, A: FOURNIER, GUYARD; LEBRUN; LEGAND; MACEAU; MOINARD; OUDET; PERROT; Mme THOREL.
Where can we find this editions?


Martin, I also gave it a (quick) try ...
Œuvres complètes de Buffon avec les descriptions anatomiques de Daubenton (Paris, Lagrange et Verdière, 1824-1832, in 8o). Oiseaux : 11 vol. avec 245 pl. Lithographie de C. Motte) et peintres. Elles sont presque toutes de P. Oudart (les autre par PRÉVOST et WERER) et on retrouve ces même figures dans beaucoup d’autre ouvrage de l’époque.

Maybe, at least one of them: "OISEAUX.—Tome VI." (1826), here ... ?

The other one: "Œuvres complètes [de Buffon], suivies de la classification de Cuvier, Lesson, etc., etc., Nouvelle édition, par M. Richard ..." ... I cannot find. At least not right now. Sorry. But I think I've seen it (and both/all) earlier online. Have you checked Hathi (as of here)?

And remember; it is always tricky to find the many Works by Buffon, published in a multitude of Editions in many, many versions (for examples; see here). ;)

Good luck finding it!

And: Let us know, if and when, you find them (simply to save anyone some unwarranted work, looking for it).

/B
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Ronsil, René. 1948-1949. Bibliographie Ornithologique Française. Travaux publiés en langue française et en latin en France et dans les Colonies Françaises de 1473 à 1944. Encyclopédie Ornithologique Vol. VIII (Tome I)-Vol. IX (Tome II). Paul Lechevalier, Paris. pp. 1-534 (Tome I), 1-89 (Tome II).

Ronsil, René. 1957. L'Art Français dans le Livre d'Oiseaux (Eléments d'une iconographie ornithologique française). Mémoires du Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle. Nouvelle série. Série A. Zoologie. Tome XV. Fascicule 1. Editions du Muséum, Paris. pp. 133; col. figures, b/w figures.
 
Maybe, at least one of them: "OISEAUX.—Tome VI." (1826), here ... ?
Definetly one of them. But all Paul Louis Oudart plates (not surprising as Ronsil mentioned that the majority have been delivered by him). And the quality of scans ist in fact not a highlight :C

And remember; it is always tricky to find the many Works by Buffon, published in a multitude of Editions in many, many versions (for examples; see here). ;)

Tricky? I remember my post (and others) like...

I gave up to understand all this different publications of Oeuvres completes de Buffon. Gubernatrix might be even in Biodiversity Heritage Library to find. But which Edition can I find this Volume 8 where Lesson described Gubernatrix?

OK here.

I think it is a case for Tom Cruise (Mission: Impossible).;)
 
Hi Björn, I know Paul Louis Oudart was beside Jean Gabriel Prêtre, Édouard Traviès, Jean-Baptiste Meunier (1786-1858), Jean-Charles Werner (1798–1856) (Johann-Carl Werner), Jean-Baptiste (-MARIE) HUET (b Paris, 15 Oct 1745; d Paris, 27 Jan 1811). etc. one of the most productive bird artists in France in that epoque and there are many more works with plates from him and the others on biodiversity. As this thread is about Prévost my focus was on the Buffon plates from Prévost. And according the second of James books from Ronsil there are only two editions where we can find his works. And that's what I am interested in most at the moment. They are missing in here (in most of the works you can find this plates of the other artists mentioned). Not that surprising in context with Huet as he was a student of him.

Of course all nice plates. But thank you for your support.
 
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This is from C. E. Jackson, 1999, Dictionary of Bird Artists of the World, p. 399:
"PRÉVOST, Alphonse fl. 1830-1850 French artist and ornithologist who prepared several sets of bird paintings for French records of their voyages of discovery. He was the artist of the ornithological section of the voyage of La Bonite in 1841, the artist in the report on the voyage of La Coquille by R P Lesson 1826-30, and the voyage of the Astrolabe by J C P Quoy 1830-33. When M A P O Desmurs planned a continuation of Buffon's great work, he employed Prévost to do 24 of the coloured lithographs and P L Oudart 48, for Iconographie Ornithologique 1845-49. He worked at the natural history museum in Paris. A helmet bird Euryceros prevosti was named after him.

PRÉVOST, Florent d. 1870 French naturalist who worked at the natural history museum, Paris from 1832-70 as an artist. A subspecies of Ptilonopus [sic] mercierii was named for him in 1849, and the green-breasted mango, a humming-bird species, Anthracothorax prevostii in 1832. He worked on birds taken to France from the voyage round the world of the corvette La Bonite for nine colour plates. Another two plates, of a Turdus and an Anthus were painted by him for Magasin de Zoologie 1836."

Regarding Florent I simply think C. E. Jackson mixed up things. If we look https://archive.org/details/leshetjeanbapt00gabi/page/28/mode/1up but I must admit the different Prévosts in the book are very confusing. Note there was also a flower painter https://books.google.com/books?id=Is--DwAAQBAJ&pg=PA251 Jean Louis Prevost the younger. I found as well about him:

VERY little is known about Jean Louis Prévost (about 1760–1810). He came from a long line of artists and was a pupil of the famous Bachelier who was art director of the Vincennes and Sèvres porcelain factory from 1751.
 
... As this thread is about Prévost my focus was on the Buffon plates from Prévost. And according the second of James books from Ronsil there are only two editions where we can find his works. And that's what I am interested in most at the moment.

...But thank you for your support.
You're welcome Martin, glad if I can help.

One more (or maybe, simply; one less, to look for): "Oeuvres complètes de Buffon: avec les descriptions anatomiques de Daubenton, son collaborateur". Paris ... Ladrange [sic] et Verdière. 40 volumes (in full view, here). Birds in vol. 31-40, 1824–1830, on Title page/s (note; vol. 30 is missing). All Plates by "P. Oudart" (Lith. de C. Motte). Most of them in colour, some in black-and-white. [Hummingbirds (and Parrots) in vol.36 (Oiseaux.—Tome VII), in full colour].

But no Plates by any Prévost. Too bad.

/B
 
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