The Wood Pelican (Tantalus Loculator)

About this work

This drawing shows a wood pelican standing still on one long leg, its other leg tucked up. The bird’s neck is stretched out, and its beak is wide open. The feathers are mostly gray and white, with black on the wings and tail. In the background, there’s a faint sketch of the bird’s head and a small shape that looks like an egg. The artist used careful lines to show the bird’s feathers in detail, almost like stitching. The name at the bottom reads *Pelicanus sylvaticus*—the wood pelican. Want to see more? Look up etching to learn how artists like this made precise prints.