Wilson - Blue Jay, Goldfinch, Baltimore Bird or Oriole. 1

Wilson - Blue Jay, Goldfinch, Baltimore Bird or Oriole. 1
This originally hand-colored, octavo bird engraving is from Alexander Wilson's American Ornithology, or the Natural History of the Birds of the United States. The work was published in 1832 in London by Whittaker, Treacher, & Arnot as well as Stirling & Kenney in Edinburgh.

The engravings were done by Lizars after Wilson's work. It contains a continuation by Bonaparte and was edited and finished by Sir William Jardine. This work was the first time that all of Wilson's art was present in one publication.

Alexander Wilson is known as the “Father of American Ornithology.” He spent a decade traversing the Eastern United States studying the birds and discovered 26 previously unknown species. Wilson’s work, American Ornithology, was the first focused on only American birds.

Scientist and historian Dr. Elliott Coues noted of Wilson's work, "Perhaps no other work on ornithology of equal extent is equally free from error, and its truthfulness is illuminated by a spark of the 'fire divine.'"


Paper Size: ~ 8 1/2" by 4 1/4"