GOULD, JOHN.

Cypselus Apus. Swift.

London, Printed by Taylor and Francis - Published by the Author, (1862-) 73.

Folio. Papersize 54,5x36,5 cm. Lithographed and fully handcoloured. Feeding baby birds in natural surroundings. J. Gould & H. Richter, del. et lith. - Walter & Cohn Imp. Fine and clean.The plate is accompanied with the original textleaf. (2) pp.

This is an original plate from Goulds great work "The Birds of Great Britain", issued between 1862 and 1873. The plates in this work were executed by Gould himself, and a few by J. Wolf, H.C. Richer and Hart. Together with Audubon's plates, the Gould-plates are considered the best bird-art ever produced, AND THE PLATES IN HIS "BIRDS OF GREAT BRITAIN" ARE THE PEAK OF GOULD'S ARTISTIC LIFE.
In the foreword Gould stresses the difference from his "Birds of Europe" in the treatment of the illustrations, the inclusion here of the figures of the baby birds and nests, and he comments "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.". Elsewhere he remarked upon employing "almost all colourists in London." - Wood p. 364. - Nissen No. 372. - Sitwell 102. - Zimmer pp. 261-62. - Not in Jean Anker.

Order-nr.: 43922