Edward Lear Coriphilus Kuhlii, Kuhl’s Coriphilus parrot c1836

$65.00

Lizars engraving of Kuhl's Coriphilus parrot of Tahiti.

Fine original hand-coloured steel engraving by Edinburgh engraver and publisher, William Home Lizars (1788-1859) after a drawing by Edward Lear for Prideaux John Selby's Parrots published in 1836 for Jardine's Naturalist's Library. Sir William Jardine (1800-1847) was a Scottish naturalist commissioned scientific experts for works on their field of expertise. W.H. Lizars engraved each finely detailed specimen. The prints were individually watercoloured with backgrounds left uncoloured. The small parrot portraits engraved by Lizars after Lear, are some of the finest ever produced – a perfect combination of science and art.

Edward Lear (1812-1888) worked as a scientific artist for the Zoological Society in London. He was the first eminent artist to draw fauna from life rather than from stuffed skins. Between 1830 and 1832 Lear painted and lithographed parrots for his Illustrations of the family Psittacidae, or Parrots – which resulted in his being elected an associate of the Linnaean Society. Lear's mastery of lithography is evident in the results of his instruction and coaching of John Gould's artist wife, Elizabeth Gould, in lithography – and in both Edward Lear and Elizabeth Gould's lithographs included in John Gould's grand publications. As he became frustrated by failing eyesight in his later years, Edward Lear apparently said that if there was such a thing as reincarnation he would surely return as a parrot.  

This page is nearly 200 years old and is slightly age-discoloured. The page size is 17 x 10cm (6.6 x 4 inches)

Out of stock