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Blue-bellied finch
Southern Cordonbleu, male
Uraeginthus angolensis
Paillou March 1755;
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 pair of male Southern Cordonbleus from 18th century specimens [modern geographical distribution: Sub-Saharan Africa].
Manuscript note on front of drawing: Blue-bellied finch (Pytelia phoenicotis) Paillou March 1755;
Manuscript note on back of drawing: Azulinba from angola in africa
Scientific name: Uraeginthus angolensis
With manuscript text on accompanying leaf.
Transcription of manuscript note on accompanying leaf: Aves Passeres Fringilla
Angolensis
31 Fringilla dorso fusco, abdomine
caudaq[ue] caeruleis. L.S.N. p. 182.
Habitat in Angola & Africa
& Benghalla
The Blue Belly'd Finch
Edw: p. 135.
Fringilla ventre Caerula Edw: av 1. 31. t. 31.
Bengalus Briss. av. 3. p. 103. t. 10. f 1.
Translation of manuscript note on accompanying leaf: Aves Passeres Fringilla
Angolensis
31 Fringilla with a tawny back, blue abdomen
and blue tail. L.S.N. p. 182.
It lives in Angola, Africa
and Bengal.
The Blue Bell[ie]d Finch
Edw: p. 135
Fringilla ventre Caerula Edw: av 1. 31. t. 31
Bengalus Briss. av. 3. p. 103. t. 10. f 1.