Hylocharis lactea (Sapphire-breasted Emerald)

Art Historical Context

This hand-colored lithograph captures the delicate beauty of the Sapphire-breasted Emerald hummingbird, known scientifically as *Hylocharis lact*. Created by the renowned British ornithologist and illustrator John Gould in collaboration with H.C. Richter, the work dates from 1801 to 1825. Measuring 56 by 38.6 centimeters, the print presents the bird with meticulous attention to its iridescent plumage and graceful posture, reflecting the era’s growing fascination with exotic wildlife from the Americas. As a hand-colored lithograph, the piece exemplifies an important artistic and scientific med...

About the Artist

John Gould and H.C. Richter

John Gould (1804–1881) and Henry Constantine Richter (1821–1902) formed one of the most productive and celebrated partnerships in the history of natural history illustration. Gould, an English ornithologist and publisher of extraordinary ambition, built a career on the production of lavishly illustrated folio volumes documenting the birds of Britain, Europe, Australia, Asia, and the Americas. Thou...