California condor, Gymnogyps californianus. Critically endangered

California condor, Gymnogyps californianus. Critically endangered. Illustration signed RPN (Richard Nodder). Handcolored copperplate engraving from George Shaw and Frederick Nodder's 'The Naturalist's Miscellany' 1797. Frederick Polydore Nodder (1751-1801?) was a gifted natural history artist and engraver. Nodder honed his draftsmanship working on Captain Cook and Joseph Banks' Florilegium and engraving Sydney Parkinson's sketches of Australian plants. He was made 'botanic painter to her majesty' Queen Charlotte in 1785. Nodder also drew the botanical studies in Thomas Martyn's Flora Rustica (1792) and 38 Plates (1799). Most of the 1,064 illustrations of animals, birds, insects, crustaceans, fishes, marine life and microscopic creatures for the Naturalist's Miscellany were drawn, engraved and published by Frederick Nodder's family. Frederick himself drew and engraved many of the copperplates until his death. His wife Elizabeth is credited as publisher on the volumes after 1801. Their son Richard Polydore (1774-1823) exhibited at the Royal Academy and became botanic painter to King George III. (Photo by: Florilegius/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)