John Gould Hand-Colored Lithograph, Earl of Derby’s Parakeet

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I believe this to be an Original nineteenth-century hand-colored lithograph by celebrated British ornithologist and publisher John Gould, depicting the … Read more I believe this to be an Original nineteenth-century hand-colored lithograph by celebrated British ornithologist and publisher John Gould, depicting the Earl of Derby’s Parakeet, historically identified beneath the image as Palaeornis derbianus.
Created for Gould’s monumental publication The Birds of Asia, this original plate dates to 1858. The composition was drawn and lithographed by John Gould and Henry Constantine Richter, as indicated by the printed inscription “J. Gould & H.C. Richter, del et lith.” It was printed in London by the distinguished lithographic firm Hullmandel & Walton, whose imprint appears at the lower right.

There are several Gould originals available in my shop if you would like to create a stunning Bird Print wall as in the photo.

The parakeet is rendered with extraordinary naturalistic detail, displaying brilliant emerald and chartreuse plumage, a powder-blue head, deep navy throat, expressive eye and dramatically elongated blue-green tail. Delicate botanical foliage and a softly atmospheric background showcase the refined artistry and precise hand coloring for which Gould’s ornithological works are renowned.

Beautifully presented beneath glass, the lithograph is surrounded by an expansive pale celadon cotton mat with finely ruled borders and housed in an elegant giltwood real leaf frame with restrained decorative corner details. The sophisticated presentation complements the plate’s vivid coloring while preserving its historic English character.

A highly decorative and collectible example of Victorian natural-history illustration, ideal for a library, study, living room or curated gallery wall. It complements traditional, English country, Chinoiserie, botanical, Grand Tour and collected European interiors.

This piece has already traveled the world and was purchased in an art store in France in 2007. They represented the piece as an original but I am not certain and the price reflects that. All of the other Gould pieces in my shop are verified originals. See less