Golden Age Illustrations Birds of Paradise Daniel Elliot & Joseph Wolf

390mm x 285mm

PUBLISHER’S NOTE

Monograph of the Paradiseidae or Birds of Paradise by Daniel Giraud Elliot was originally published in 1873.

This publication is for those who appreciate the fine art of bird illustration. In the original preface, Elliot wrote ‘The drawings executed by Mr. Wolf will, I am sure, receive the admiration of those who see them; for, like all the artist’s productions, they cannot be surpassed or equalled at the present time. Comparing the illustrations in this volume with other recently published works, Elliot’s statement is still valid to this day. In this edition, 22 of Wolf’s finest illustrations have been selected and represented.

The text accompanying each plate has been extracted and edited from the original letter-press. Although the editing had to be considerable, Elliot’s hand still delights and holds the reader’s interest as much as the superb illustrations. Our knowledge of the Birds of Paradise has increased since 1873. Over a hundred years ago, large areas of New Guinea were yet to be explored and many new species were still to be discovered. But, what researchers lacked most, was our knowledge of the living bird. With the perishable soft parts, this was especially noticeable. The colours of the eyes, beaks and legs were lost or often altered on preservation, and, if there were no field notes, the colourist sometimes guessed and got it wrong.

Our knowledge of the evolution of the Birds of Paradise has also increased. This has necessitated changes in some scientific names of the birds. To avoid any possible confusion, Elliot’s original names have been left intact. However, modern names are given in footnotes where necessary.