1882
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Bird of Paradise (Paradisea apoda) is a 1882 ink by John Gould, a Impressionism work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This picture shows two brightly colored birds perched on a branch. The bird on top has a yellow belly, green back, and a long, wavy tail with feathers that look almost like silk. The bird below is darker brown with a blue band around its neck. Both have sharp beaks and are surrounded by green leaves and small red flowers. The artist made the feathers look incredibly detailed, almost like they’re made of real thread. These birds were drawn to look lifelike, with every feather and color carefully added by hand. If you like this kind of detailed bird art, look up lithography to see how it was made.
John Gould (; 14 September 1804 – 3 February 1881) was an English ornithologist who published monographs on birds, illustrated by plates produced by his wife, Elizabeth Gould, and several other artists, including Edward…
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