Pitta Kochi, Brüggem. [Whiskered Pitta]

Description

original hand-colour lithograph. EXTREMELY RARE.

The Whiskered Pittas (Pitta Kochi), named by German ornithologist Friedrich Brüggemann, is a colourful, ground-dwelling bird species that is endemic to Luzon in the Philippines.

This stunning finely hand-coloured lithograph originates from John Gould’s celebrated “Birds of Asia”. The present example is from the same group of “pattern plates” retained and later acquired by Henry Sotheran & Co. following Gould’s death. This plate was specifically used as the original reference for Gould’s colourist to produce the rest of the work. It is a unique opportunity to own an important part of the production process of Gould’s works Birds of Asia; produced with contributions from artists including Elizabeth Gould, Edward Lear, Joseph Wolf, William Hart, and H. C. Richter, the work took 34 years to complete and is considered one of Gould’s greatest accomplishments. A medium-sized bird of tropical moist lower-elevation and montane forest on Luzon, it is one of the largest pittas in the Philippines, reaching up to 23 cm in length. It has a brownish head, blue breast, red belly and broad ash malar or “whiskers”. It suffers from loss of natural habitat and is threatened by trapping. Due to its rarity and elusive nature, it is one of the most sought after birds by birdwatchers.