McGill Library
McLennan Library Building3459 rue McTavish
Montreal, Quebec
H3A 0C9
Black Leopard
Panthera pardus pardus
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 possible Black Leopard from a 18th century specimen. Attributed to Peter Paillou.
Manuscript note on back of drawing: Catus montanus niger Barbaricus. The Great Mountain Cat from the Coast of Barbary this was a male as large as any Leopard. June 1759
Scientific name: Panthera pardus pardus
With manuscript text on accompanying leaf.
Transcription of manuscript note on accompanying leaf: Mammalia Ferae Felis
Catus Barbaricus.
Felis Montanus colore Niger est
in toto corpore superiore sed
pedibus partibus inferioribus albus.
Magnitudine aequat leoni
pardale.
Habitat in maritimis Barbariae
The Black Mountain Cat
brought from the Coast of Barbary
June 1759.
Translation of manuscript note on accompanying leaf: Mammalia Ferae Felis
Catus Barbaricus.
Felis Montanus the entire top part of the body
is black in colour, but
the feet and underparts are white.
It is the same size as the
leopard.
It lives on the coasts of Barbary.
The Black Mountain Cat
brought from the Coast of Barbary
June 1759.