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Ariel Toucan
Channel-billed Toucan
Ramphastos vitellinus
Item
1 watercolour painting ; 56 x 39 cm + 1 leaf
Peter Paillou was born in London into a Huguenot family and was recognised in his own time as an eminent ‘bird painter’. In 1744 he began to paint for Taylor White and worked for him for almost thirty years, painting chiefly birds and mammals. He painted as well for Robert More, Joseph Banks, and for the Welsh naturalist Thomas Pennant. Many of his paintings of birds were used as the basis for book illustrations, often engraved by his colleague and fellow Huguenot, Peter Mazell. Paillou was elected to the Society of Artists and in 1763 he exhibited ‘A Piece of Birds, in Watercolours; the Hen of the Wood and Cock of the Red Game’. In 1778, to considerable approval, he also showed a picture of ‘A Horned Owl from Peru’, completely made from feathers.
Drawing of a Channel-billed Toucan from a 18th century specimen [modern geographical distribution: South America.] Attributed to Peter Paillou.
Manuscript note on front of drawing: Ariel Toucan (Rhamphastos ariel)
Manuscript note on back of drawing: Rhampastos L.S.N. p. 103 Pipevorus. Rhamphastos Rostro nigro carina crassisma from the Grenadas
Scientific name: Ramphastos vitellinus
With manuscript text on accompanying leaf.
Transcription of manuscript note on accompanying leaf: Ramphastos
Piperivorus
Ramphastos rostro nigro carina
erassissima [crassissima]. L.S.N. p.103
Habitat in America meridionali.
The Black Beaked Toucan
from the Island of the Granades Ramphastos
Picatus
Ramphastos rostro rubro: apice nigro
carina compressa.
Picu Brasiliensis: Alb. av. 2 p 24 t 25 Aldr. orn. l. 20
c. 19.
Habitat in America meridionali
Translation of manuscript note on accompanying leaf: Ramphastos
Piperivorus
The toucan with a black beak with a thick rhamphotheca. L.S.N. p.103
It lives in South America.
The Black Beaked Toucan
from the Island of the Granades Ramphastos
Picatus
Ramphastos with a red beak, with a black tip
and dense rhamphotheca.
Picu Brasiliensis: Alb. av. 2 p 24 t 25 Aldr. orn. l. 20
c. 19.
It lives in South America