18th Century Sapphire Crowned Parakeet, Hand Colored Engraving

This print is a piece of living history created by the famous 18th-century British artist William Hayes. Along with his talented daughters, Hayes specialized in drawing exotic animals for wealthy aristocrats who loved collecting rare wildlife from around the world. This specific artwork comes from his famous book, Portraits of Rare and Curious Birds, published in London between 1794 and 1817. 

The bird itself lived in a private royal aviary at a grand English mansion called Osterley Park, where the artist spent years studying and sketching the animals.

Every detail in this artwork was made using a traditional printing process that required incredible patience and skill.

First, the outline of the bird and the twisted tree stump was hand-carved into a metal sheet to create a stamp. After printing the ink lines onto thick paper, the colors were carefully painted entirely by hand using watercolors, making each individual print unique. This classic style of showcasing a bird perched dramatically on a stump was incredibly popular in the late 1700s because it blended scientific accuracy with beautiful home decor.

Circa: 

Frame Measures: 10.75 inches Wide x 12.75 inches Long

Disclosures: Frame has some scratches. It has been touched up however, they are still visable. Back paper is ripped. (see photos).