European bison

27 x 19 cm (10.6 x 7.4 inches).

Der Wisent (Bison bonasus oder europaeus)
Features in stone age cave paintings. Nearly hunted to extinction by early 1900s. The heaviest surviving wild land animal in Europe.

This antique lithograph was made in about 1910 and is in excellent condition. It is from a rare set of collecting cards about dinosaurs, prehistoric animals and strange animals, Tiere der Urwelt (animals of the prehistoric world) by Heinrich Harder. On the back is text about the animal by the naturalist Wilhelm Bolsche. They remain some of the most intriguing images of dinosaurs and prehistoric animals and are still referred to. Harder is well known for his murals of extinct creatures at Berlin Zoo, and was art professor at Berlin University.

© Fine Rare Prints