McGill Library
McLennan Library Building3459 rue McTavish
Montreal, Quebec
H3A 0C9
Pygmy Hog
Porcula salvania
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 Pygmy Hog from a 18th century specimen [modern geographical distribution: Assam, the Himalayan foothills of India.] Attributed to Peter Paillou.
Manuscript note on back of drawing: Sus 1 Scrofe 9 from Madagascar
Scientific name: Porcula salvania
With manuscript text on accompanying leaf.
Transcription of manuscript note on accompanying leaf: Mammalia Belluae Sus.
Madagascarensis
Sus Pilosis longisimis [longissimis] cauda brevissima.
Colore fusco nigrascente.
Habitat in Madgascar [Madagascar].
The Madagascar Swine
from the Collection of the Duke of Cumberland.
Translation of manuscript note on accompanying leaf: Mammalia Belluae Sus.
Madagascarensis
Sus with very long hair, a very short tail,
and a tawny-black colouring.
It lives in Madagascar.
The Madagascar Swine
from the Collection of the Duke of Cumberland.