Depictions of a common Indian bee-eater and a Indian purple sunbird of Northern India
1820
paint
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
1820
paint
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
This painting shows two birds perched on a bare tree with green leaves. The bird on the left is black with a bright yellow eye and a splash of red on its chest. The one on the right is smaller, with dark feathers and a long beak, sitting among the branches. The artist labeled the birds as an "Indian Purple Sunbird" and a "Yaggarra" (likely the bee-eater). The paper looks old and worn, with some smudges and pencil notes. Look up Romanticism to see how nature and detail like this fit into that art movement.
