Long-Tailed Cormorant, Plate 31 from Birds of Western Africa
Medium
Classification
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Gift of Hamill and Barker
Accession Number
1961-105-189
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
This striking print, titled *Long-Tailed Cormorant*, was created in 1837 by Scottish artist and engraver William Home Lizars as Plate 31 in the publication *Birds of Western Africa*. Lizars, active during the height of 19th-century natural history illustration, specialized in detailed engravings that brought scientific accuracy to a broader audience. His work helped document avian species from regions then being explored by European naturalists, capturing the long-tailed cormorant’s distinctive silhouette and aquatic habits with meticulous care. As a hand-colored print, the medium allowed for...