Hyacinth Macaw, Brazilian Bird Print, Descourtilz, 1944

Hyacinth macaw print after Descourtilz from the 1944 Ornitologia Brasileira: Estampa 8, a color offset print of Brazilian birds reproducing a painting by Jean-Théodore Descourtilz.

A single large macaw occupies the plate, its plumage an unbroken deep cobalt blue from crown to tail, relieved only by two patches of bright bare yellow skin, a narrow ring around the eye and a fuller patch at the base of the heavy, sharply hooked black bill. The bird is shown in profile, gripping a bare branch with dark gray feet, its very long tail hanging well below the perch and tapering to a point. No foliage, fruit or second bird accompanies it; the composition is left deliberately spare, letting the strong blue of the plumage carry the plate.

The plate comes from the Ornitologia Brasileira ou História Natural das Aves do Brasil, notáveis por sua plumagem, canto e hábitos, issued in 1944 by Livraria Kosmos Editora of Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo. First published in French in the 1850s, the work appeared here in its first Portuguese edition, translated by Eurico Santos and limited to 1,315 copies, 1,000 plus 315 numbered. Each of its 48 color offset plates is captioned "Estampa" with its number and mounted on a toned card with a printed green ornamental border.

Descourtilz, a French painter and naturalist who lived from circa 1796 to 1855, traveled to Brazil in the late 1820s and devoted himself to painting its birds. His first work on the birds of Brazil appeared in 1834.

This hyacinth macaw print after Descourtilz is decorative and strong in color, and works well framed on its own in a study or hallway or hung with other Brazilian bird prints from the same volume.

This plate is in good condition for its age. The mount shows ordinary age toning, with a few small spots, a small nick to the left edge near the upper corner and light edge wear; there are a few tiny specks on the image panel. Please review the images for further condition details.