McGill Library
McLennan Library Building3459 rue McTavish
Montreal, Quebec
H3A 0C9
Waxbill
Common Waxbill
Estrilda astrild
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 pair of Common Waxbills from 18th century specimens [modern geographical distribution: Sub-Saharan Africa, Southern Europe, and South America.] Attributed to Peter Paillou.
Manuscript note on front of drawing: Waxbill (Estrilda astrild)
Manuscript note on back of drawing: from the East Indias
Scientific name: Estrilda astrild
With manuscript text on accompanying leaf.
Transcription of manuscript note on accompanying leaf: Aves Passeres Loxia
Astrild
21 Loxia grisea fusco [fusca] undulata,
rostro temporibus, pectoreq[ue]
coccineis. L: S. N. p.173
21 The Wax bill Edw. 179.
Translation of manuscript note on accompanying leaf: Aves Passeres Loxia
Astrild
21 Loxia [The grey...] with tawny wavy stripes,
with a scarlet beak, temples, and
breast. L.S.N. p.173
21 The Wax bill Edw. 179