Description
Presenting an exceptional original 1885 chromolithograph by the celebrated Boston publisher and color-printing pioneer Louis Prang, depicting a vibrant gathering of Birds of Paradise and tropical waterfowl. Composed as a lush tableau of exotic ornithology, this print was issued as one of the richly detailed color plates from the natural-history publication Animated Creations by J.G. Wood.
Louis Prang (1824–1909), the “father of the American Christmas card” and a visionary of color lithography, elevated chromolithography to a fine art through Prang & Co. of Boston, whose productions remain benchmarks of 19th-century color printing. This composition exemplifies Prang’s mastery of tonal gradation and naturalistic color, rendering the iridescent plumage of the birds of paradise with exceptional fidelity and depth.
Technique & Provenance:
Executed as an original chromolithograph, printed by Prang & Co. and published in 1885 by Selmar Hess in New York. The plate depicts a tropical woodland beside a pond or lake, populated with egrets, flamingos, cranes, and other waterfowl, with colors that remain bright and vivid. This example is offered in very good condition and would present beautifully matted and framed.
Collecting Context:
Prang’s natural-history chromolithographs are prized by collectors of antique ornithological art and 19th-century American color printing. Plates of this caliber are sought for both their scientific illustration and their decorative artistry, making them enduring additions to the curated collection of naturalist prints.
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