Bream (fish) – Markus Elieser Bloch, 1782-1795

THE COMMON BREAM “Cyprinus Brama/Der Brey oder Brassem/La Breme/The Bream” (plate 13), copper engraving made by Ludwig Schmidt after the…

THE COMMON BREAM

“Cyprinus Brama/Der Brey oder Brassem/La Breme/The Bream” (plate 13), copper engraving made by Ludwig Schmidt after the drawing of Krüger jr, for Markus Elieser Bloch’s “Allgemeine Naturgeschichte der Fische” published in Berlin between 1782 and 1795. With original hand colouring. Size: 19 x 38 cm.

Bloch’s work on the “Allgemeine Naturgeschichte der Fische” occupied a considerable portion of his life, and is considered to have laid the foundations of the science of ichthyology. The publication was encouraged by a large subscription, and it passed rapidly through five editions in German and in French. Bloch made little or no alteration in the systematic arrangement of Peter Artedi and Carl Linnaeus, although he was disposed to introduce into the classification some modifications depending on the structure of the gills. To the number of genera before established, he found it necessary to add nineteen new ones, and he described 276 species new to science, many of them inhabitants of the remotest parts of the ocean, and by the brilliancy of their colours, or the singularity of their forms, as much objects of popular admiration as of scientific curiosity.

Bloch is considered the most important ichthyologist of the 18th century.

The Common bream is a species of freshwater fish in the Cyprinidae family, also known as bream. It is widely distributed in Europe and western Asia and is a common and important food fish. The common bream has a deep, laterally compressed body that is typically silvery-grey to greenish in color with a lighter belly. They have a distinctive black spot near the tail and are known for their ability to change color to match their surroundings. The common bream is a versatile feeder, feeding on a variety of food items including plant material, insects, mollusks, and small fish. Today it is an important target species for anglers and is also widely farmed for food.

Price: Euro 350,-