Artwork
Golden Pheasant (Chrysolophus pictus)

Golden Pheasant (Chrysolophus pictus) is a graphite drawing by the Romanticist artist British 18th Century. It is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art. The Golden Pheasant is a watercolor drawing on laid paper, created using graphite underdrawing.
About this work
Overview
The Golden Pheasant is a watercolor drawing on laid paper, created using graphite underdrawing. It depicts a bird with intricate feather detail.
Subject & Meaning
The drawing shows a pheasant standing on one leg, with its long tail feathers spread behind it. The bird's plumage is rendered in a range of colors, including yellow, red, pink, green, and blue.
Technique & Style
The artist employed smooth watercolor washes to capture the texture and detail of the bird's feathers, a style characteristic of early 19th-century natural history illustration.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
This artist left small, precise pictures from 18th-century Britain—buildings, faces, and landscapes etched or drawn in ink and chalk.















