Tanagers and Euphonias on a Papaya, Brazilian Bird Print, Descourtilz, 1944

Tanagers and euphonias print after Descourtilz, 1944: this is Estampa 33 from the Ornitologia Brasileira, the Kosmos edition of the French painter's paintings of Brazilian birds.

A papaya, shown cut in half to reveal its pale flesh and cluster of round black seeds, forms the centrepiece of this plate, with four small birds arranged around it on the fruiting branch. At the top, a bird with a blue-black head, an olive-green back and a yellow belly perches near the stem. Below and to the left, a second bird, similarly patterned in blue-black and yellow, sits close to the cut face of the fruit. To the right, a third bird shows a dark blue-black head and a patch of chestnut-maroon at the wing, its bill lowered toward the fruit as though feeding. At the bottom of the plate, a fourth bird with a black head and yellow underside perches among the broad green leaves. The papaya's leaves, drawn large and deeply lobed in the manner typical of the plant, frame the composition on both sides.

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 tanagers and euphonias 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, including a small dark spot in the upper left, and light edge wear. Please review the images for further condition details.