Birds: The Art of Ornithology

Birds: The Art of Ornithology is a remarkably beautiful volume that gathers together a selection of the most important and vibrant ornithological art from London’s Natural History Museum. It tells the remarkable story of the development of ornithological art through the ages, from the earliest images of birds in the Renaissance, through the Age of Exploration, to the present day.

It features brilliantly reproduced original artworks by such renowned artists as Audubon, Gould, MacGillivray, Thorburn, and Wolfe, along with accompanying text that tells the story of how ornithological art grew out of the naturalistic tradition of European painting to become a genre on its own, where the artist’s focus on aesthetic appeal was married to the scientist’s need for precision and detail. It makes a perfect gift for anyone who loves fine prints and drawings or has an interest in nature or birding.