Tanagers, Honeycreepers and Berries, Brazilian Bird Print, Descourtilz, 1944

Tanagers and honeycreepers print after Descourtilz, Estampa 36 in the 1944 Ornitologia Brasileira, a limited Brazilian edition of Jean-Théodore Descourtilz's bird paintings, printed in color by offset.

Four birds are gathered on a flowering, berry-hung branch. At the top, a bird with a blue-gray head and a streaked reddish-brown back perches near a spray of small pink and red berries. Below and to the left, a second bird shows a blue-black head, an iridescent blue-green patch at the wing, and an otherwise dark purple body. To the right, a third and paler bird, gray-white with a blue-gray head and wing, perches with its bill open as though calling. At the bottom of the plate, two further birds sit close together: one with a green head and a darkly scaled body, the other with a golden-orange head and breast, their proximity suggesting a mated pair. The branch's leaves, flowers and berries are worked in fine botanical detail typical of the volume, framing the birds without crowding them.

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 honeycreepers 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 brown spot in the lower left, and light edge wear. Please review the images for further condition details.