Marcus Elieser Bloch, a German physician with a passion for natural history, compiled a groundbreaking ichthyological reference work in the 18th century. Frustrated by his predecessors' incomplete texts, Bloch decided to catalogue all of the world's known fish. His resulting twelve-volume book, Allgemeine Naturgeschichte der Fische, was published between 1782 and 1795 and described 432 types of fish, 267 of which were previously undiscovered. Bloch's informative text was accompanied by copperplate engravings by several artists and draftsmen, including Gabriel Bodenehr, Johann Friedrich Hennig, Andreas Ludwig Krüger, C. L. Schmidt, J. G. Schmidt, and Ludewig Schmidt, among many others. Created from life, the masterful prints later received color finishes which capture their subjects so accurately that present-day ichthyologists continue to consult them. Plate 19 for naturalist text "Allgemeine Naturgeschichte der Fische" leads the viewer through the life cycle of a fish, depicted in 19 figures. Artist Krüger and engraver Gabriel Bodenehr focused on the informative aspects of the piece, placing each figure against a stark background and aligning the elements into straight, easy to follow rows. Created between 1782 and 1784, the print relies on its sensitive linework and detailed visual diagrams to convey information. Vivid red-orange watercolor accents unify the piece while providing educational glimpses into biological processes.
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![Fig. 1-19 [Fish Life Cycle]](https://bpldcassets.blob.core.windows.net/derivatives/metadata/commonwealth-oai:8g84rw83j/image_thumbnail_300.jpg)
