Lizars, Vinago aromatica, Buru Green Pigeon antique print c1843

by Lizars, William Home

Beautiful finely-engraved and hand-coloured Green Pigeon from Indonesia.

Original fine hand-coloured steel engraving by William Home Lizars (1788-1859) after great scientific artist at the Zoological Society, Edward Lear (1812-1888), for Sir William Jardine’s Naturalist’s Library Ornithology, Pigeons, engraved and printed in Edinburgh c.1843 by W.H. Lizars. By hand-colouring only the bird, each exquisite little bird study is highlighted against its black-printed engraved background This lovely little Pigeon would look lovely in a set of three in one frame.

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 series comprising all kinds of fauna.  WH Lizars engraved some of the most exquisitely detailed and superbly hand-coloured miniature wildlife portraits ever done. Son of artist, engraver, publisher Daniel Lizars (1754-1812) and brother of anatomist John Lizars (c1787-1860), William was a pupil of engraver Andrew Bell (1726-1809). Sir William Jardine, (1800-1874) was a Scottish naturalist who was particularly keen on Ornithology. He was also keen on Lizar's sister, Jane Home Lizars, whom he married.

This beautiful plump pigeon would look lovely between two other birds in the one frame.
Page size is 162 x 92mm (6 3/8 x 3 5/8 inches). Unfortunately there is slight age-discolouration of the paper as is to be expected when nearly 200 years-old. There is also, a small conservation-repaired tear at top left and small corner piece missing.