Fowling - R. Bloome 1686

📜 Description
Original etching by R. Bloome, published in London by S. Roycroft in 1686, titled “Fowling”. The plate presents a didactic and classificatory composition dedicated to the practice of bird hunting, with numerous specimens arranged around a central oval field and a system of internal cartouches describing species, habits, and capture techniques. The main subject consists of a coordinated display of waterfowl and land birds—including swans, ducks, peacocks, herons, and other birds—accompanied by textual diagrams illustrating hunting methods, nets, and tools, while in the lower section human figures are engaged in fowling activities with dogs and equipment. The structure is organized in an encyclopedic manner, with a central oval that hierarchizes information and integrates image and text, defining the work as a practical and instructional guide. The inscriptions, including the title “FOWLING” and the numerous explanatory cartouches in English, guide the technical reading of the image and clarify its manual function. The print holds documentary and collectible value as an example of an antique print devoted to the dissemination of hunting practices in the 17th century.

📚 Historical note
Richard Bloome was an author active in the second half of the 17th century, known for encyclopedic and instructional works. “The Gentleman’s Recreation”, from which this plate is taken, is a compendium dedicated to aristocratic activities such as hunting, fishing, and falconry, published in London for a cultivated audience interested in contemporary practices. The edition printed by S. Roycroft reflects the spread of illustrated manuals in Restoration England.

🧾 Technical sheet
Type: antique print, etching
Author / Maker: R. Bloome
Publisher / Printer: S. Roycroft, London
Place: London
Period: 1686
Material: paper
Technique: etching
Subject / Title: Fowling
Dimensions: sheet 25.5 x 40 cm; plate 22.5 x 37 cm
Marks / signatures / inscriptions: engraved title “FOWLING”; numerous explanatory cartouches in English within the composition

🔍 Condition Report
Example in good overall condition; paper shows signs of age consistent with the period; small tears visible along the margins; verso blank.