The Redwing

The Redwing (Turdus Iliacus) by Jemima Blackburn (née Wedderburn) (1823-1909). 1862. Plate 12, Hand-colored version of a plate from Birds Drawn from Nature. Courtesy of Panteek Prints (www.panteek.com). The artist's initials appear in lower left corner. Click on image to enlarge it. Follow for monochrome version. The red plumage of the bird's underwing and flanks in the hand-colored version calls attention to the defining characteristic that gives this bird species its name. Another noticeable feature of this bird species is the creamy white stripe above the bird's eye. The hand-colored version also shows Blackburn's skill as a watercolorist: the tail feathers are expertly rendered in a variety of shades of brown, the creamy white stripe highlights the dark eye, and the feathered chest features dark spots on its white underparts. The dark talons emerging from the bird's toes root it firmly on the ground where it stands amidst beautifully rendered grasses and wildflowers of purple and yellow.

You may use this image without prior permission for any scholarly or educational purpose as long as you (1) credit the Internet Archive and the Harvard University Library and (2) link your document to this URL in a web document or cite the Victorian Web in a print one. — George P. Landow.

Bibliography

Blackburn, Jemima. Birds Drawn from Nature. Glasgow: James Maclehose, 1862. Internet Archive online version in the Harvard University Library. Web. 11 January 2021.


Last modified 14 January 2021