A Pair Colour Pigeon engravings by François-Nicolas Martinet

A Lovely Pair of Framed Engravings by François-Nicolas Martinet (1731–1804). He was a celebrated 18th-century French engineer, draftsman, and engraver. Possibly of later period 1890's.

His work is historically significant for several reasons:

Natural History Illustrator: Martinet is best known for his incredibly detailed, hand-colored engravings of birds, insects, and shells. Buffon's Birds: He created over 1,000 plates for the famous multi-volume Histoire naturelle des oiseaux by the Comte de Buffon. Collector's Pieces: His original prints are highly sought after by collectors and museums today (for example, the late David Rockefeller famously collected his beetle prints). Historical Records: Beyond nature, he created widely popular historical and architectural engravings detailing the monuments of Paris. 

Because he both drew the original subjects and engraved the metal plates for printing, his antique prints are typically signed in the bottom corner with the French phrase "dessiné et gravé par Martinet"