Toucans, Brazilian Bird Print, Descourtilz, 1944

Toucans print after Descourtilz, Estampa 12 in the 1944 Ornitologia Brasileira, a limited Brazilian edition of Jean-Théodore Descourtilz's bird paintings, printed in color by offset.

Two toucans share a fruiting branch, their bodies angled so that one faces left and the other right. Both show the same basic pattern: a black head, a bright yellow throat and upper breast, a narrow band of red below the breast, and a black belly, the wings a dense blue-black and the tail long and dark. Their bills are the plate's most striking feature, each a slender curved yellow scoop tipped and based in black, with a small patch of pale blue skin at the base near the eye. The lower bird perches close to a cluster of small green fruit still attached to the branch, while a scatter of simple green leaves fills the upper part of the composition around the second bird.

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 toucans 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; the image itself is clean. Please review the images for further condition details.