McGill Library
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H3A 0C9
Red and blue macaw
Red-and-Green Macaw
Ara chloroptera
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 Red-and-Green Macaw from a 18th century specimen [modern geographical distribution: South America. Attributed to Collins, Charles].
Small stain on right edge.
Manuscript note on front of drawing: Red and blue macaw (Ara Macao)
Manuscript note on back of drawing: the Maccaw or Macao. Aldrov. W. 111
Scientific name: Ara chloroptera
With manuscript text on accompanying leaf.
Transcription of manuscript note on accompanying leaf: Macao
1 Psitacus macrourus ruber.
remigibus supra caeruleis, subtus ruffis
genis nudis rugosis. Lin. Syst. Nat. p.96
The Red Macaw
Translation of manuscript note on accompanying leaf: Macao
1 Psitacus macrourus ruber. [The red Macaw].
with flight feathers on the wings that are blue on top and red underneath; and bare and wrinkled cheeks. Lin. Syst. Nat. p.96
The Red Macaw