John Gould (1804-1881) is widely considered the greatest and most ambitious of all Victorian ornithologists, combining both artistic skill and beauty and anatomical accuracy. Following in the great tradition of Natural History illustrators, such as Barraband and Audubon, Gould enlisted the services of some of the most notable ornithological artists, including Edward Lear, Joseph Wolf and his own wife Elizabeth to compile the most outstanding and comprehensive bodies of work in this field. Comprising of eighteen major works he illustrated the birds of the world, from Asia, New Guinea, Europe, and Great Britain to the Families of Toucans, Trogons and Hummingbirds.

Original hand-coloured lithograph, heightened with gum arabic. Some marginal spotting, otherwise good. Paper size: 55.9cm by38.8cm.