Greystones Fine Interiors

Description

This very wonderfully observed and intensely (hand) coloured tropical birds plate was prepared for 'The History of the Earth and Animated Nature' by Oliver Goldsmith. Hand Produced in c1875. Its intricacy and the intensity of its hand painted and hand graduated colours (of which we count well more than a dozen, including half a dozen greens alone) are simply astonishing, it is a real and genuine work of art. As if the painstaking and intricate hand-colouring (achieved though hundreds of brush strokes) wasn't enough the main subject is set against an incredibly detailed etching of the native rainforest terrain (teaming with foliage and life everywhere) that is home for these birds, setting the subject in an extraordinary three dimensional context.

A lithograph as extraordinary as this demands to be framed and mounted to an extraordinary standard and so it is presented in a bespoke, handmade and hand-finished ultra-premium wooden frame set. The outer frame, which is finished with renaissance gold and hand hammered black 'ebonised' foil panel , sits on a a very fine linen wrapped frame which itself sits on a confidently proportioned mount decorated and a delicate gold fillet to achieve a sophisticated contrast framing for the works. The glass is museum quality with low reflection, amazing colour intensity and high U.V. absorption to protect the work. The quality acid-free conservation materials and expert techniques used will ensure your artwork is protected for the next 100 years to come.

The lithograph is 26cm wide by 16cm tall. The framed lithograph is approximately 53cm wide by 42cm tall. As a single piece the framed plate will effortlessly bring sophistication to any room, as a collection the impact is simply extraordinary and the plates are far, far more powerful 'in person' than even professional photographs can convey.

About 'A History of the Earth and Animated Nature':
'A History of the Earth, and Animated Nature (including Curious Notes of Discoveries in Natural History)' is a work of natural history by Oliver Goldsmith. First published in 1774 attempted to bring together a history of the earth with a description of its geographical features and many of its species (often stylistically drawn with the illustrator drawing fantastic beasts from narratives and drawings).

About Hand coloured and Embellished Lithographs:
The invention of lithography at the turn of the 19th century opened a new world for illustrators. It brought many advantages to the artist — ease of use, softness of line, and a new freedom to effect bold designs with a wide range of light and dark tones. Most of the fine nature books of the 19th century were prepared in folio format with hand-colored lithographic plates.

The lithographic process is one of flat surface printing from a design drawn on stone. It is based on the principle of the resistance of grease to water. There are no raised or cut portions, as there are in engraving and etching. The image is drawn with greasy ink or chalk on a smooth stone, and the rest of the stone is treated with gum arabic and nitric acid. The gum retains the lines of the greasy design, which repels the water used in printing. Special paper and ink, as well as a special press, are needed to produce the prints.

First used for animal illustrations in 1820, lithography was widely adopted by the best artists of the century. The technique was popular because the artist could draw his own illustration directly on the lithographic stone. Prints could be made from the drawing with no intermediary such as an engraver. Accurately reproduced and then colored by hand, the resulting illustrations gave the impression of original watercolor paintings.

With lithography, the development of animal illustration reached its height. Even today, with all of the excellent methods of color reproduction available,