McGill Library
McLennan Library Building3459 rue McTavish
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H3A 0C9
Royal Antelope [female]
Royal Antelope, female
Neotragus pygmaeus
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 female Royal Antelope from a 18th century specimen [modern geographical distribution: West Africa.] Attributed to Peter Paillou.
Manuscript note on front of drawing: Royal Antelope [female](Neotragus pygmaeus) The size of Life
Manuscript note on back of drawing: No 17 This Drawing is the size of Life 2 if the Pygmea of Lin S.N. 69
Scientific name: Neotragus pygmaeus
With manuscript text on accompanying leaf.
Transcription of manuscript note on accompanying leaf: Mammalia Pecora Cervus
Pusilus
Cervus pusilus guineensis. Seb. mus. 1. p.10
habitat in Asia Guinea
The Small Guinea Deer
This Drawing is as big as the Life
it is a female & was the property of Mr Guy
I have not yet been able to get a sight of
the Male. but have oft heard that the male
has horns & therefore can not be of the species
of ye Moschus described by Linaeus.
he calls this Deer Moschus. Pymaeus SN p.92
The Teeth of this animal are all united as
in the Drawing tho so divided at the end as
to apear like many Teeth.
Translation of manuscript note on accompanying leaf: Mammalia Pecora Cervus
Pusilus
Cervus pusilus guineensis. Seb. mus. 1. p.10
It lives in Asian Guinea.
The Small Guinea Deer
This Drawing is as big as the Life
it is a female & was the property of Mr Guy
I have not yet been able to get a sight of
the Male. but have oft heard that the male
has horns & therefore can not be of the species
of [the] Moschus described by Linaeus.
he calls this Deer Moschus. Pymaeus SN p.92
The Teeth of this animal are all united as
in the Drawing tho so divided at the end as
to apear like many Teeth.