Hand Colored Print Of A Cardinal With Original Signature Of William Hayes, 1780

An original and finely hand-colored print of a Cardinal bird, signed by William Hayes with a reference to the year 1780 (or 1786).

This particular print is titled 'Cardinals', which suggests the bird depicted is a cardinal, known for its vivid red coloration, particularly in males. The term "hand-colored" refers to a print that has been manually colored after being printed, usually with watercolors. This was a common practice in the 18th and 19th centuries to add vibrancy and realism to prints, especially in scientific works like natural history books.

The artist is William Hayes. William Hayes was an English ornithologist, artist, and illustrator known for his detailed studies and illustrations of birds. He is best known for his work "A Natural History of British Birds," which was published in the late 18th century and featured hand-colored plates of birds.

The year signed behind his name would fit within the timeline of William Hayes' life and work, as his famous collection of bird illustrations was completed around that time. The hand-written title 'Cardinals' and the hand-signature by Hayes indicate that the print could be from a later edition or a separate production of his bird illustrations. Hand-colored prints were often made individually even after the main work was published, so it is plausible that such prints could be signed and dated by the artist himself.

Such a piece would be of interest not only to art collectors but also to those who study the history of ornithology, as it represents an intersection of scientific interest and artistic endeavor during the period.

The combination of fine detail, hand coloring, and the artist's signature makes this print a notable piece for collectors and historians interested in ornithological art and the history of science. Collecting such works was popular among the educated and wealthy during that time as a symbol of knowledge and appreciation for the natural world.

More about the bird 'Cardinal':

Cardinals are associated with love, strength, good fortune, determination, and happiness. But not only. It's also a common belief that Cardinals are sent to those in need during difficult times. For example, if a friend or family member recently passed. Many people believe the sighting of a cardinal can be a sign of good luck, loyalty, or even a spiritual message. Native American lore states if a cardinal is seen, it is believed that individual will have good luck within 12 days of the sighting. Cardinals are incredibly loyal creatures.

More about the Artist:

William Hayes, an English self-taught artist born in 1735 and passing in 1802, garnered acclaim for his detailed avian illustrations, notably in his prominent works "A Natural History of British Birds" released in 1775 and "Rare and Curious Birds Accurately Drawn and Colored from Their Specimens in the Menagerie at Osterly Park" published between 1794 and 1799. His dedication to realism led him to portray birds in actual size when feasible, a practice that John James Audubon would also famously adopt later on. Hayes often relied on live birds he maintained himself or those from the collection of the Duchess of Portland, one of his benefactors. Similar to Audubon, he endeavored to represent birds in their true scale. The production of his illustrations was a family affair; he enlisted the help of at least seven of his children in the printing, coloring, and compilation of his works. Interestingly, some of the illustrations attributed to him might have been the work of his family members. As his publications were in demand, he would compile the prints as orders came in, resulting in a unique assortment for each subscriber due to the somewhat disordered nature of his assembly process. By the mid-1780s, Hayes had relocated to Southall, close to Osterley Park, home to his new patrons Robert and Sarah Child, who were collectors of exotic birds. He also created portraits of avian species from the collection of John Montagu, the Earl of Sandwich.

Condition report:

Very good with the usual overall light toning, wear, soft creases. Please study the images carefully.

Additional dimensions information:

Height: 14.77 in Width: 21.46 in Depth: 0 in (0.02 mm)