1842
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Dominant colour
Eriocnemis vestitus (Glowing Puff-Leg) is a 1842 ink by John Gould, a Romanticism work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This picture shows a bright pink flower with three hummingbirds hovering around it. The birds have green backs, yellow chests, and long beaks. A spiky green cactus grows nearby, with thin yellow leaves hanging down. The artist drew tiny details, like the feathers on the birds’ wings. This kind of careful drawing was common in old nature books. Check out lithography to see how artists like this made prints before photos.
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…
See the richer artist page
