McGill Library
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Golden Pheasant [male]
Golden Pheasant, male
Chrysolophus pictus
Cha. Collins Fect. 1739;
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 male Golden Pheasant from a 18th century specimen [modern geographical distribution: Central China, Europe, and New Zealand].
Manuscript note on front of drawing: Golden Pheasant [male](Chrysolophus pictus) Cha. Collins Fect. 1739;
Manuscript note on back of drawing: The GoldenPheasant from China
Scientific name: Chrysolophus pictus
With manuscript text on accompanying leaf.
Transcription of manuscript note on accompanying leaf: Phasianus Pictus
Phasianus crista flava, pectore
coccineo, remigibus secundariis
caeruleis. L.S.N: p.158
Habitat in China
The Golden Pheasant
Translation of manuscript note on accompanying leaf: Phasianus Pictus
Phasianus with a golden-yellow crest, scarlet
breast, and blue secondary wing
feathers. L.S.N. p.158
It lives in China.
The Golden Pheasant