THE ARCTIC CHARR
“Salmo Lavaretus/Der Schnäpel/La Lavaret/The Gwiniad” (plate 1), 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.
Salmo Lavaretus, also known as the Arctic char(r), is a species of freshwater fish in the Salmonidae family. It is native to the cold, clear waters of the Arctic and sub-Arctic regions and is a close relative of the salmon and trout. The Arctic char has a streamlined body. They have a predatory lifestyle and feed on smaller fish, crustaceans, and mollusks. Arctic char are an important food fish in many northern communities and are also popular as a sport fish today. They are prized for their delicate flavor and are considered a delicacy in many cultures
Price: Euro 350,-