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Title and statement of responsibility area
Title proper
Indian Pitta
General material designation
Parallel title
Indian Pitta
Other title information
Pitta brachyura
Title statements of responsibility
Title notes
- Source of title proper: Caption title.
- Parallel titles and other title information: Title from Mousley: Pitta brachyura
Level of description
Item
Repository
Reference code
CA RBD MSG BW002-522
Edition area
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Statement of scale (cartographic)
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Statement of scale (architectural)
Issuing jurisdiction and denomination (philatelic)
Dates of creation area
Date(s)
Physical description area
Physical description
1 watercolour painting ; 56 x 39 cm + 1 leaf
Publisher's series area
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Archival description area
Name of creator
(approximately 1720-approximately 1790)
Biographical history
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.
Custodial history
Scope and content
Drawing of a pair of Indian Pittas from 18th century specimens [modern geographical distribution: India.] Attributed to Peter Paillou.
Notes area
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Accruals
General note
Manuscript note on front of drawing: Indian Pitta (Pitta brachyura)
General note
General note
Scientific name: Pitta brachyura
Accompanying material
With manuscript text on accompanying leaf.
Accompanying material
Transcription of manuscript note on accompanying leaf: Ornatus
Rallus luteus, dorso viridi,
capite vittis tribus nigris,
remigibus rectricibusque caeruleis.
Magnitudo Alcedinis Ispido.
Rostrum luteum. Caput luteum, supra
vitta nigra notatum, ad later in utroq[ue]
latere vitta lata nigra albo circum-
scripta. Pectus & abdomen lutea.
Dorsum viride. Urhopygium [uropigium] caeruleum.
Alae nigrae, macula magna alba: remi-
gibus caeruleis. Cauda rotundata
caerulea, fascia nigris. Pedes lutei.
Accompanying material
Translation of manuscript note on accompanying leaf: Ornatus
Rallus luteus [The ornate yellow Rail], with a green back,
three black bands on the head,
and blue flight feathers on the wings and tail.
It is the size of the Alcedinis Ispido [the kingfisher].
The beak is yellow. The head is yellow, and marked
with a black band on the top; on either
side [of the head] there is a wide black band with a white line
around it. The breast and abdomen are yellow.
The back is green. The rump is blue.
The wings are black, with a large white patch: the flight
feathers are blue. The tail is rounded
and blue, with black bands. The feet are yellow.
Alternative identifier(s)
Volume number
Birds Volume 7, Painting 19