John Gould (British, 1804-1881). AQUILA NAEVIA - an original antique hand-colored lithograph of the Spotted Eagle, adult and young, colored by hand after J. Wolf and H.C. Richter, printed by Walter, ca. 1862-1873. An outstanding and impressively large plate from John Gould's "The Birds of Great Britain" published from 1862 to 1873. Generally regarded as Gould's masterpiece, "The Birds of Great Britain" represents the culmination of Gould's lifelong work in the natural world as well as his immense experience in avian art. According to R. Bowdler Sharpe, "Such beautiful illustrations as those of the Birds of Great Britain scarcely existed before and are not likely to be surpassed." A lovely plate from Gould's "The Birds of Great Britain" mounted in a custom mat and frame and accompanied by the original descriptive text (on the verso). Size (sight view): 19.75" L x 13.75" W (50.2 cm x 34.9 cm) Size (frame): 29.5" L x 23" W (74.9 cm x 58.4 cm)

Please note, all of Gould's illustrations were meticulously hand colored like this example. In the preface of "The Birds of Great Britain" Gould states, "Many of the public are quite unaware how the colouring of these large plates is accomplished; and not a few believe that they are produced by some mechanical process or by chromo-lithography. This, however, is not the case; every sky with its varied tints and every feather of each bird were coloured by hand; and when it is considered that nearly two hundred and eighty thousand illustrations in the present work have been so treated, it will most likely cause some astonishment to those who give the subject a thought".

John Gould was an ornithologist, a self-taught artist, as well as a naturalist. From 1818 to 1824, Gould was a gardener working under his father in the Royal Gardens of Windsor, where he began creating illustrations. In time, he became an accomplished taxidermist, opening his own practice in London in 1824. In 1827, Gould became the first Curator and Preserver at the museum of the Zoological Society of London. His interest in birds kept developing, and in 1830 he published "A Century of Birds From the Himalaya Mountains" - his first volume on birds. For the next fifty years, Gould, his wife Elizabeth, and several other artist collaborators sojourned throughout the world to depict and describe hundreds of avian species in their natural environs. During his lifetime, Gould was respected as a leading ornithological authority. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1843. The finest ornithological artists of the day worked for and also collaborated with Gould. These included Edward Lear, W. M. Hart, Joseph Wolf, and H. C. Richter.

Printed at lower center: AQUILA NAEVIA.

Printed at lower left: J. Wolf & H. C. Richter, del et lith

Printed at lower right: Walter Imp.

Provenance: private Lumberton, Texas, USA collection, acquired before 2010

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#183316

Printed at lower center: AQUILA NAEVIA. Printed at lower left: J. Wolf & H. C. Richter, del et lith. Printed at lower right: Walter Imp. Mounted under glass in custom mat and frame. Artwork not examined outside frame. Presents with expected age wear. Original descriptive text from "The Birds of Great Britain" taped to gallery paper on verso. Text page presents with toning and worm holes commensurate with age. Tears to old gallery paper on verso. We recommend replacing old suspension wire. Accompanied by a picture hook.