The Mangrove Snapper (Labrus griseus)

Combining etching and engraving, the artist first incised the composition into a metal plate, then printed the image on laid paper. Hand coloring was applied after printing, a labor‑intensive process that required precise brushwork to enhance the fish’s hues while preserving the fine line work of the original plate.

The print derives from plates used in Catesby’s multi‑volume work *Natural History of Carolina, Florida and the Bahama Islands* (1729–1747), the first systematic illustrated survey of the region’s flora and fauna. Though the original plates were prepared earlier, this particular impression was issued posthumously, reflecting continued interest in Catesby’s contributions to early American natural history.

Mark Catesby, an English naturalist and illustrator, spent years observing and sketching North American wildlife in situ. His practice of studying live specimens before rendering them informed the anatomical precision evident in the snapper’s depiction, aligning the print with the Enlightenment‑era emphasis on empirical observation.