A stunning original natural history study in pencil by Christophe Paulin de la Poix de Fremenville (1787-1848). This life-like sketch is exquistetly rendered and includes minute details and marvelous shading. Overall this piece is 7"x10" and the smaller white paper has been tipped into a larger colored and textured paper backing that frames the compostion. Like his contemporary John James Audubon, the Chevalier Fremenville had an adventuresome and productive life. Fremenville was the son of a naval architect. He chose a naval career after hearing a lecture on Captain Cook's voyages. At the age of 15, Fremenville joined the navy and traveled to Haiti under General LeClerc. While there he discovered the great ray, native to the bay of Port-au-Prince, which came to bear his name. In 1819 he published a book with Thomas M'Keevor called "A voyage to Hudson's Bay during the summer of 1812: containing a particular account of the icebergs and other phenomena which present themselves in those regions; also, a description of the Esquimeaux and North American Indians; their manners, customs, dress, language, &c." which was pubilshed in Londonand Printed by Sir Richard Phillips and Co. By the time he retired in the 1830's, Fremenville had spent most of his life at sea, traveling from Iceland and Russia to Central and South America to West Africa and the Antilles, and drawing specimens of exotic species. He enjoyed much fame in his own day as an antiquary and writer of travel accounts, but he died having produced only one book onnatural history subjects, Considerations Generales sur les Moeurs et les Habitudes des Serpens (1842). The drawings that Fremenville left behind were intended for a half-dozen other related works on exotic butterflies, fish, mollusks, snakes, and other reptiles, but these books remained unrealized. Overall this piece is in very good condition with some light discoloration and evidence of adhesive through paper backings.
