The Bird

A showcase of 18th and 19th century ornithological art and hundreds of birds, sure to delight and fascinate bird lovers and watchers; from peacocks and flamingos; to the dodo and hummingbirds. Lavishly illustrated with exquisite colour reproductions, each chapter explores a category of global bird species: from seabirds; shorebirds, wading birds, and waterfowl; to gamebirds; songbirds; parrots; flightless birds; and birds of prey. Celebrating pioneering ornithological artists, including profiles of Mark Catesby (1683-1749); Edward Lear (1812-88); Joseph Wolf (1820-99); Eleazar & Elizabeth Albin (fl. 1708-1741); Alexander Wilson (1766-1813); and Prideaux John Selby (1788-1867). Discover images of a Western Meadowlark by John James Audubon, from 'Birds of America', 1827-38; a Hill Pigeon by John Gould from 'The Birds of Asia', 1850-83; and an Albatross by George Edwards, from 'A Natural History of Uncommon Birds', 1743-51; alongside a Brown Dipper from a manuscript leaf from 'The Shah Jahan Album', c.1610; and a Great or Japanese Cormorant, depicted by Katsukawa Shunsen in a woodblock print, 'Cormorant Fishing at Night', 1800-10. Fascinating images chart the development of the ornithological artform as science and exploration gripped the imagination of natural scientists, informing and transforming today’s understanding of the avian world.

Hardback
32 x 22.5cm
352 pages
Illustrated throughout with colour and black-and-white ornithological prints