Who painted Pair of black-breasted kalij pheasants?

Pair of black-breasted kalij pheasants was painted by Unknown in 1826.

Where can I see Pair of black-breasted kalij pheasants?

Pair of black-breasted kalij pheasants is held by Victoria and Albert Museum.

What movement is Pair of black-breasted kalij pheasants?

Pair of black-breasted kalij pheasants is associated with Romanticism.

Artwork

Pair of black-breasted kalij pheasants

Unknown , 1826

Pair of black-breasted kalij pheasants is a paint painting by the Romanticist artist Unknown. It dates from 1826 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.

About this work

Overview

The work is a painted illustration of two black‑breasted kalij pheasants, presented on a single folio among a set of twelve pages bound in a volume with marbled covers. The pair is rendered side by side, each bird displayed in profile to highlight its plumage and anatomical features.

Subject & Meaning

The left bird is predominantly black, its long tail tipped with white, and its back and neck marked by distinct white stripes. The companion on the right shows a brown, scaly‑patterned feathering and a comparatively shorter tail. Both specimens share vivid red facial skin and small crests, emphasizing characteristic traits used for identification in natural history illustration.

Technique & Style

Executed with meticulous attention to colour and texture, the artist delineates feather patterns, leg structure, and the birds’ posture with fine brushwork. Such precise rendering aligns with the scientific illustration conventions of the early nineteenth century, where accuracy was prized over decorative embellishment.

History & Provenance

The folio forms part of a twelve‑page collection linked to Lord Amherst, Governor‑General of India between 1823 and 1828. Amherst and his family were noted patrons of natural history, assembling works that documented Indian fauna during his tenure.

Context

Illustrations of Indian wildlife were commonly incorporated into bound volumes intended for scholarly or private study, serving both as records of colonial biodiversity and as objects of curiosity for European audiences interested in exotic species.