Pitta Caerulea [Giant Pitta]

Description

original hand-colour lithograph. EXTREMELY RARE.

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 colorist 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. Produced with contributions from artists including Elizabeth Gould, Edward Lear, Joseph Wolf, William Hart, and H. C. Richter.

The Giant Pitta (Pitta Caerulea) is a large, forest-dwelling bird found in Southeast Asia (Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, and Thailand), known for its secretive habits and striking sexual dimorphism (the blue-headed male in the foreground and the brown female behind). It inhabits primary and tall secondary forests at elevations of up to 1,200 m (3,900 ft). It appears to prefer densely vegetated, swampy areas, but has infrequently been reported from drier and secondary vegetation. The species is classified as Near Threatened by the IUCN. Total population size is unknown, but it is believed to be scarce to rare, and thought to be under pressure from rapid forest loss in its native habitat.