Goulds Humming Birds

John Gould, one of the most famous naturalist artists of all time, was born in Lyme, Dorchester, England in 1804. As a young boy he was an avid collector of birds' nests and specimen birds. He began writing books about birds and became known as the 'Bird Man'. His books were to be high quality, expensive and financed by advance subscription. H. C. Richter worked with him beginning in 1841 until his death in 1881. Gould left behind 2,999 bird and animal prints in 41 large folios. Gould's original sketches were transferred to stone with special pencils or chalk. They were then printed by hand from the stones. Each print was individually hand-colored using watercolor, and issued in small sets to subscribers only. As the prints were very expensive for their time, only a few hundred of the wealthiest people and institutions could afford them, accounting for their rarity today. The Gould Hummingbird prints are unique in that some have special iridescent colors that are exceptionally radiant and make them the prize pieces of a collection. The stunning iridescence was achieved by the use of gold and silver foil underneath the watercolors that impart a reflective or shimmering effect on the colored image. Viewed in person, one can almost experience the shining radiance exhibited by a live Hummingbird.