1737
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
The Purple Jack Daw (Gracula Quiscula) is a 1737 ink by Mark Catesby, a Baroque work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This bird looks like a crow with a long tail and a sharp beak, perched on a rocky ledge. Its feathers are mostly dark blue-black, with a yellow eye that stands out. The background is a simple, light-colored scene with a few small plants and a hint of a fence or wall. The bird’s name is written at the top: *The Purple Jack Daw*. It’s part of a book of animal drawings, made by hand and colored after the print. Next, check out Catesby, Mark—he was one of the first artists to document North American wildlife.
Mark Catesby (24 March 1683 – 23 December 1749) was an English naturalist who studied the flora and fauna of the New World.
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