Angus Bull, Scottish Cattle Chromolithograph by Olivier de Penne, 1863

This is an original antique chromolithograph, printed in color from several lithographic stones, from Victor Borie's Animaux de la Ferme, Espèce Bovine, published in Paris about 1863. The plate is lettered "RACE D'ANGUS, TAUREAU" (Angus breed, bull). The bull stands in full profile facing the viewer's left, a solid black, hornless animal with a broad head, thick neck and deep, rounded body, the coat lit with gray highlights along the shoulder and flank. His tail falls to a long dark switch. He stands on a warm ocher ground, with a gray shadow stretching to the left and a soft gray band of distance behind.

Above the image, the plate is headed Animaux de la Ferme, Espèce Bovine (Farm Animals, Cattle), with the imprint "Lib Agricole de la Maison Rustique rue Jacob 26, Paris" at left (the agricultural bookshop of the Maison Rustique), and "par Victor Borie" (by Victor Borie) at right. Below the image, the artist's credit reads "Ol. de Penne Pinx.t" and the printer's line reads "Imp. Zanote r. des Boulangers, 13, Paris" (printed by Zanote, rue des Boulangers, Paris). The abbreviation stands for pinxit, painted it. The artist is the French animal painter Charles Olivier de Penne (1831 to 1897).

The Angus, from Angus and Aberdeenshire in northeastern Scotland, is a black, naturally hornless beef breed, today known as the Aberdeen Angus. Borie's album sets out the cattle of France alongside British and other foreign breeds, each animal shown in profile on a plain ground so that build, coat and horns can be compared. It was issued by the Librairie Agricole de la Maison Rustique, the Paris publisher of agricultural books.

The clear profile and warm palette suit a kitchen, study or country house, alone or with other plates from the series.

This is an original antique print, not a modern reproduction. This item is sold unframed.