Bonaparte Fly Catcher

About this work

This image shows a bright pink flower cluster growing from a green-leaved branch. Perched on a twig below is a small bird with a yellow belly, blue-gray back, and a black beak. The leaves are glossy and shaped like ovals, while the flower’s petals are clustered tightly together. The artist used careful hand coloring to make the colors pop, especially the bird’s feathers and the flower’s pink hue. This kind of detailed plant-and-animal drawing was common in the early 1800s for science books. Want to know more? Check out the technique: etching.