Large 19th-Century Framed Hand-Colored Bird of Prey Lithograph, English Library Decor

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Original antique hand-colored lithograph by John Gould, titled “Milvus Regalis”, depicting the Red Kite from Gould’s The Birds of Great … Read more Original antique hand-colored lithograph by John Gould, titled “Milvus Regalis”, depicting the Red Kite from Gould’s The Birds of Great Britain. The work was published in London by Taylor and Francis for the author as part of Gould’s celebrated Victorian ornithological folio, issued between 1862 and 1873. The Birds of Great Britain included 367 hand-colored lithographic plates and remains one of Gould’s most admired natural history publications. The Red Kite is a large raptor known for it's long, graceful wings and elegant silhouette.

This example is presented as a finished framed work in a warm walnut frame with a black double mat and a narrow cognac reveal. The presentation gives the muted raptor palette a rich, tailored look, with the cognac accent picking up the warm brown tones in both the bird and the frame.

The composition has a quiet but commanding presence, showing the perched Red Kite in profile with a second kite in flight below. It would be especially strong in a library, study, traditional interior, gallery wall, or natural history collection. See less