Bargain! Original John Gould lithograph. Australian Petrel, Procellaria Lessoni. c1848

by Gould, John

Beautiful Australian Petrel, Procellaria Lessoni, Johh Gould antique print.

Original hand-coloured lithograph by Henry Constantine Richter (1821-1902) after a field sketch by 'The Bird Man' John Gould (1804-1881) for Gould's The Birds of Australia published in London between 1840 and 1848. Only 125 of each hand-coloured lithograph was produced - including some of the finest illustrations ever done of Australian birds.

With great business acumen, Gould obtained wealthy subscribers before he started each grand enterprise. With an excellent eye for detail he sketched the birds in their natural habitats, and his wife, Elizabeth Gould (1804-1841), refined his sketches. Gould commissioned beautiful large hand-coloured lithographs. He supervised them closely and apparently paid them well (although probably not his artist wife.) Elizabeth Gould produced around 600 lithographs for her husband's superb publications. She died following the birth of their 8th child after their return from Australia. Zoological Museum artist Edward Lear (1812-1888), completed her unfinished work.

This is a fine-looking bird. It is a pity that it has a couple of foxing spots, the reason for price reduction.
365 x 535mm (14 3/8 x 21 1/8 inches).