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Indian Antelope or Black Buck [male]
Blackbuck, male
Antilope cervicapra
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 male Blackbuck from a 18th century specimen [modern geographical distribution: India, Argentina, and Texas.] Attributed to Peter Paillou.
Manuscript note on front of drawing: Indian Antelope or Black Buck [male] (Antilope cervicapra)
Manuscript note on back of drawing: No 14 The Antilope
Scientific name: Antilope cervicapra
With manuscript text on accompanying leaf.
Transcription of manuscript note on accompanying leaf: Mammalia Pecora Capra
Gazella
Caper Cornibus teretibus longissimis
basi anulatis Lin. sys. Nat: p.96. n. 7.
Gazella indica. cornibus rectis longissimis
nigris prope caput tantum anulatis.
habitat in India.
The Antelope.
This Beast difers from all the others
that I know of in having two nostrills
under his Eyes which he opens & shuts
at pleasure. this is not taken notice
of by Linaeus nor any Natural Historian
that I remember
Translation of manuscript note on accompanying leaf: Mammalia Pecora Capra
Gazella
Caper with very long rounded horns that are
ringed at the base. Lin. sys. Nat: p.96. n. 7.
Gazella indica. with very long straight horns
with many black rings near the head.
It lives in India.
The Antelope.
This Beast difers from all the others
that I know of in having two nostrills
under his Eyes which he opens & shuts
at pleasure. this is not taken notice
of by Linaeus nor any Natural Historian
that I remember