The Flamingo (Phoenicopterus ruber)
1737
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1737
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Mark Catesby painted a bright pink flamingo standing in shallow water. Its long legs and curved beak stand out against green plants. The bird looks real but also a little dreamy. Catesby worked in the early 1700s. He traveled to the Americas to study plants and animals. This print shows the first flamingo ever drawn in color for Europe. Look up Catesby, Mark.
