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Various fish from Poissons, ecrevisses et crabes, de diverses couleurs et figures extraordinaires ...1719

by Louis Renard

This is the earliest known book on fish with colour illustrations.

Its 460 brilliantly hand-coloured engravings show marine creatures collected in the East Indies.

The Dutch publisher Louis Renard never left the Netherlands but relied on drawings and information from travellers and natural historians. He went to great lengths to establish the authenticity of the specimens and included first-hand testimonies in the introduction.

It is estimated that only 100 copies of the book were printed, and the Library’s copy is one of 16 known to have survived. It includes information on how the fish taste and how best to serve them. The douwing princess pictured here is said to have a delicious a taste similar to salmon.