Orioles and Caciques, Brazilian Bird Print, Descourtilz, 1944

Orioles and caciques print after Descourtilz, 1944: this is Estampa 45 from the Ornitologia Brasileira, the Kosmos edition of the French painter's paintings of Brazilian birds.

Three large, glossy black birds are gathered tightly around a spray of citrus fruit, one whole and green, the other cut open to reveal its pale flesh. Each bird shows the same basic pattern of black plumage broken by a bright patch of color at the tail, rendered in yellow on two birds and in a warmer orange-red on the third; all three have long, pointed, pale bills and pale blue eyes, and all three lean in toward the fruit as though feeding at the cut surface. The birds are arranged in a tight, interlocking composition that fills almost the entire plate, their long tails, some yellow and black, one orange and black, sweeping outward to the edges of the sheet.

Livraria Kosmos Editora published the Ornitologia Brasileira ou História Natural das Aves do Brasil, notáveis por sua plumagem, canto e hábitos in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo in 1944. This first Portuguese edition, translated by Eurico Santos from the French original of the 1850s, was limited to 1,315 copies (1,000 plus 315 numbered). All 48 plates are color offset prints of Descourtilz's paintings of Brazilian birds, each captioned "Estampa" with its number on a toned card within a printed green ornamental border.

Jean-Théodore Descourtilz (circa 1796 to 1855) was a French painter and naturalist who 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.

Strong in color and suitable for framing, this orioles and caciques print after Descourtilz would make a handsome addition to a collection of ornithology prints or a colorful focal point for a library or garden room.

This plate is in good condition for its age. The mount shows ordinary age toning, with a few small spots and light wear to the edges; there is a small blue mark near the upper left of the image panel. Please review the images for further condition details.