A Concert of birds. After Frans Snyders.

Mezzotint, 41,5 x 57 cm, diff. mentions etched to a very sharp point to bottom: painter's name ("Mario di Fiori pinxit") to left, date, printer's name and place on both sides of coat of arms to center, engraver's name to right (pl. uniformly browned).

Under glass, wooden frame.

Rare state, prior to the engraved title and caption. An 18th century engraving inventively arranging a variety of species of singing and talking birds, which are portrayed giving a concert conducted by an owl using sheet music. The avian participants include numerous European and exotic birds. Thanks to Snyders, the theme which originates from Aesop's Fabels was widely disseminated during the 17th century, less for its moral message, more as an opportunity for a decorative display combining different species of birds. At the time of the engraving, the painting was incorrectly attributed to the Italian Baroque painter Mario Nuzzi, nicknamed Mario di Fiori. It has since been identified as the work of the influential Flemish animal painter Frans Snyders. There also exists a sepia toned edition of this print.