Feather and Brush : Three Centuries of Australian Bird Art

Penny Olsen

ISBN 10: 0643065474 / ISBN 13: 9780643065475

Published by CSIRO Publishing, Collingwoo, 2001

About this Item

Cloth. Attractive copy. Seller Inventory # 78245

Bibliographic Details

Title: Feather and Brush : Three Centuries of ...

Publisher: CSIRO Publishing, Collingwoo

Publication Date: 2001

Binding: Hardcover

Condition: Very Good

Dust Jacket Condition: Very Good

About this title

Synopsis:

Description Feather and Brush traces the 300-year history of bird art in Australia, from the crudely illustrated records of the earliest European voyages of discovery to the diversity of artwork available today. It is a history inseparable from the development of Australian ornithology. Against a background of establishment of the country itself, naval draftsmen, convicts, officers, settlers, naturalists, artists and scientists alike contributed both to the art and to science.

Driven by the excitement of discovery and description of new and exotic birds, the illustration of Australian birds flourished in the late 18th and 19th centuries, then fell into neglect. In recent decades, increasing interest in the environment has led to a revitalisation of the art. A wealth of contemporary Australian artists has turned their attention to birds and never before has wildlife illustration been so varied and accessible.

Stunningly illustrated, Feather and Brush contains over 250 images representing 94 artists. Some are well-known, others are published for the first time. All have been carefully selected for their merit, be it ornithological, historical or artistic. The book links the greats of yesterday - including Ferdinand Bauer, Edward Lear, George Raper, John Lewin, the Goulds and the mysterious Port Jackson Painter - with some of the finest wildlife artists working in Australia today, many with an intimate knowledge of the birds in the field.

About the Author:

Dr Penny Olsen is wildlife consultant based at the Division of Botany and Zoology, Australian National University. She has published over 100 research papers and many popular articles and authored or edited several books, most recently Australian Birds of Prey and Australia's Pest Animals. She initiated the program to reestablish Boobook Owls on Norfolk Island and is a member of the Flora and Fauna Committee, which advises the ACT government on conservation matters. She is also a member of the Birds Australia Research Committee.