“Intelligence without ambition is a bird without wings…”
Salvador Dali
One of one most important books to originate from colonial Australia, was John Gould’s The Birds of Australia. It was published by in seven volumes between 1840 – 1848, containing over 600 coloured lithographs of Australian Birds in their natural habitats. Bird books were all the rage in publishing at that time. Gould was originally a taxidermist at the Royal London Zoological Gardens, but he was keen to cash in on the craze for pretty feathered images. At first he tackled the birds of the world (well Europe), relying Edward Lear (of Owl and Pussycat fame) for the artwork. In order to improve his marketshare he moved to Australia and to uniquely Australian birds. He also cut costs by having his images painted by his watercolourist wife, Elizabeth. The Birds of Australia was hugely successful, with the images within simply signed Gould, and widely attributed without correction at the time as the work of John. This wonderful contemporary book by Hart and Datta, corrects the record. #perfectformelissa #letsmakelemonade
Pen Paint and Scalpel 