McGill Library
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Demoiselle Crane
Demoiselle Crane
Anthropoides virgo
Cha. Collins Fect August 1742;
Item
1 watercolour painting ; 56 x 39 cm + 1 leaf
Charles Collins was an Irish painter, known for his portraits of animals and still-lifes. He achieved success in England painting exotic birds, game, dogs and dead game still-lifes. He was the painter for Robert Furber’s ‘Twelve Months of Fruit’ (1732). In 1736 he published in collaboration with John Lee a set of 12 large engravings, coloured by hand, of British birds in landscape and garden settings, entitled Icones avium cum nominibus anglicis. He then came to the attention of Taylor White, who engaged him to paint birds from his and others’ collections until 1743. Collins died in 1744, when he was described as ‘Bird Painter to the Royal Society.’
Drawing of a Demoiselle Crane from a 18th century specimen [modern geographical distribution: Europe, the Middle East, Central Asia, India, Northeast Asia, West Africa, and East Africa].
Significant foxing.
Manuscript note on front of drawing: Demoiselle Crane (Anthropoides virgo) Cha. Collins Fect August 1742;
Manuscript note on back of drawing: [Sketch of specimen's head and shoulders]
Scientific name: Anthropoides virgo
With manuscript text on accompanying leaf.
Transcription of manuscript note on accompanying leaf: Virgo
Ardea superciliis albis, retrosum [retrorsum]
longe cristatis. L.S.N. p. 141
Habitat in Oriente.
The Numidian Crane
called by the French
Damoiselle de Numide.
Translation of manuscript note on accompanying leaf: Virgo
Ardea, with white eyebrow stripes
with long crests at the back. L.S.N. p. 141
It lives in the East.
The Numidian Crane
called by the French
Damoiselle de Numide.