HALLIDAY, Clara Maria. Her collection of etchings of animals. There are over 100 images on 36 leaves; dating from the 1650 to the 1830s. The collection was started by Clara Maria Halliday in 1828, the images pasted onto heavy buff paper with the occasional traces of paste showing through but mist are unmarked. Disbound, but with the original front board, which bears her name on the inside dated January 1828, and a handwritten paper label ‘Animals 1828' on the upper marbled paper board. 4to. 360mm x 270mm. 1828. The Bull. Etching by ‘Paulus Potter f. et excud. 1630.’ From the Series: Eight Bulls and Cows. Princeton Art Museum record an example, but a later variant (?) with slight variance to the lettering style and dated 1650. Chicago also record a 1650 version, with the name ‘Clement de Ionghe excud.’ added at the lower edge. Another variant has ‘F.de Wit excud.’ in the top right hand corner. This present example must date from 1650 but has an incorrect ‘1630' in the imprint. Paulus Potter was the preeminent animal artist of the Dutch Republic. His paintings and prints of monumentalised bulls for sophisticated court patrons in particular epitomize the beasts of the Dutch farmland. His slightly caricatured style betrayed a wry and occasionally earthy wit, which he sometimes used for political allegory. By his early death at age 29 he had created his own market niche of animal portraiture, leading the way for 18th-century artists such as George Stubbs, who would paint literal portraits of prized livestock for their proud owners. The rest are mainly later versions of etchings, and late 18th and early 19th century examples taken from books or magazines. Pastoral scenes after Berchem. 3 Quadrupeds (published by William Darton & Son). 22 on 19 sheets. c1830. Various animals, Published by J.S. Barr, Mar. 24, 1792. 46 engravings on 23 sheets, from an edition of Buffon’s Natural History. Hunting Scene [Coursing at Hatfield], after John Francis Sartorius. From the Sporting Magazine, 1806., and another of duck shooting. The Great Skeleton of the Megatherium, c1832. Dogs 18 Cattle 7 Sheep 5 - one published by R[obert] Pollard, Hollaway, London. c1810-1828 (BM) Goats 9 - after Nicolaes Berchem Horses 4 Donkeys 1 Stag Hunting 2 Horse Racing Elk The National Library of Scotland record: Halliday, Clara Maria (correspondent of John Murray, publishers) c1817-1819. The Old Bailey Proceedings for January 1848 record: John Henry Lucas , stealing 1 desk, value 10s.; 1 snuff-box, 6l.; 2 rings, 1l.; 2 brooches, 1l.; 1 watch-book, 2s. 6d.; and other articles, the goods of Clara Maria Halliday, in the dwelling-house of Sarah Baker; to which he pleaded Guilty. Aged 13.— Confined Seven Days and Whipped.