Striped-Throated Lapwing, Plate 27 from Birds of Western Africa
Medium
Classification
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Gift of Hamill and Barker
Accession Number
1961-105-185
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
William Home Lizars, a Scottish engraver and painter active in the early nineteenth century, created this striking print in 1837 as Plate 27 for the publication *Birds of Western Africa*. Lizars specialized in precise natural-history illustrations, often collaborating on ambitious ornithological projects that combined scientific accuracy with artistic refinement. His work helped bring the diversity of African birdlife to European audiences at a time when global exploration was rapidly expanding knowledge of the natural world. Executed as a print, the image reflects the era’s favored technique...