The Yellow and Black Pye (Oriolus Icterus)
1737
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1737
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This image shows a bright yellow and black bird perched among tall green leaves. The bird has a long tail and a sharp beak, with a blue ribbon tied around its leg. In the background, there’s a cluster of white flowers with yellow centers, and a small blue butterfly floats to the right. The artist used careful hand coloring to make the bird’s feathers and leaves look realistic. The blue ribbon on the bird’s leg might have been added to help identify it in nature studies. Next, check out etching, drypoint, aquatint to see how artists like this one created detailed prints.
