Barred-tailed Pheasant, Phasianus Veneratus, Native of China, Lizars c1835

$85.00

Antique print of Chinese Pheasant, Phasianus veneratus (The Barred-tailed Pheasant).
Original fine hand-coloured steel engraving by William Home Lizars (1788-1859) for Sir William Jardine’s Naturalist’s Library 'Gallinaceous Birds' (Game Birds) in the series of Ornithology, printed in Edinburgh circa 1833 by W.H. Lizars. Between 1833 and 1843 Lizars engraved between 30 and 40 plates from drawings by leading naturalists for each of the 40 works of Sir William Jardine's "Naturalist's Library", a comprehensive series on all kinds of fauna. 

Son of portrait engraver, book illustrator and publisher Daniel Lizars (1754-1812), and brother of anatomist John Lizars (c1787-1860), William was a pupil of engraver Andrew Bell (1726-1809). WH Lizars engraved some of the most exquisite miniature fauna portraits ever done.
Sir William Jardine, (1800-1874) was a Scottish naturalist who was particularly keen on Ornithology. He was also keen on Lizars' sister, Jane Home Lizars, whom he married.

Page size is 17 x 10cm (6.6.x 4 inches). Lizars exquisitely engraved small bird portraits are among the finest ever done.