William Home Lizars

Scottish, 1788 - 1859

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A wild turkey standing among tall grasses and reeds against a cream-white background nearly fills this vertical, hand-colored etching. The bird’s body faces our right, and its pale, steel-blue, scrawny neck, small head, and short beak turn to look to our left in profile. Pink bulges line the bird’s neck, and its dark eye is wide and alert. A triangular, short, horn-like protrusion over the beak appears to be covered in fuzz. The turkey’s stout and robust body is covered with golden-orange feathers down its back and around the breast. Black and white striped wings are tucked along its body below, and the tawny-brown feathers of its tail fans out to nearly brush the ground. Feathers where the bird’s ribbed and scaly, pale pink and gray legs meet the body are striped ruby red and black. The bird strides to our right on a dirt ground with tufts of plants. The reeds, some of them bamboo-like, fade in the background around the turkey. Text at the top center of the print reads, “PLATE 1.” The artist’s name is printed below the image under the left corner: “Drawn by J.J. Audubon M.W.S.” Printed cursive text across the bottom margin of the page reads, “Great American Cock Male” and block letters read, “VULGO (WILD TURKEY--) Meleagris Gallopavo. A printed inscription under the right corner reads, “Engraved by W. H. Lizars. Edinr.”
William Home Lizars, Great American Cock, 1827, etching and engraving with hand coloring on Whatman paper, Gift of Mrs. Walter B. James, 1945.8.1

Great American Cock

William Home Lizars · 1827 · etching and engraving with hand coloring on Whatman paper ·  Accession ID  1945.8.1

William Home Lizars, Purple Grackle, 1827, hand-colored etching on Whatman paper, Gift of Mrs. Walter B. James, 1945.8.7

Purple Grackle

William Home Lizars · 1827 · hand-colored etching on Whatman paper ·  Accession ID  1945.8.7

William Home Lizars, White-throated Sparrow, 1827, hand-colored etching on Whatman paper, Gift of Mrs. Walter B. James, 1945.8.8

White-throated Sparrow

William Home Lizars · 1827 · hand-colored etching on Whatman paper ·  Accession ID  1945.8.8

William Home Lizars, Bonaparte Fly Catcher, 1827, hand-colored etching on Whatman paper, Gift of Mrs. Walter B. James, 1945.8.5

Bonaparte Fly Catcher

William Home Lizars · 1827 · hand-colored etching on Whatman paper ·  Accession ID  1945.8.5

William Home Lizars, Brown Lark, 1827/1830, hand-colored engraving on wove paper, Collection of Dr. and Mrs. George Benjamin Green, 1991.117.2

Brown Lark

William Home Lizars · 1827/1830 · hand-colored engraving on wove paper ·  Accession ID  1991.117.2

William Home Lizars, Prothonotary Warbler, 1827, hand-colored etching on Whatman paper, Gift of Mrs. Walter B. James, 1945.8.3

Prothonotary Warbler

William Home Lizars · 1827 · hand-colored etching on Whatman paper ·  Accession ID  1945.8.3

William Home Lizars, Selby's Flycatcher, 1827, hand-colored etching on Whatman paper, Gift of Mrs. Walter B. James, 1945.8.9

Selby's Flycatcher

William Home Lizars · 1827 · hand-colored etching on Whatman paper ·  Accession ID  1945.8.9

William Home Lizars, Purple Finch, 1827, hand-colored etching on Whatman paper, Gift of Mrs. Walter B. James, 1945.8.4

Purple Finch

William Home Lizars · 1827 · hand-colored etching on Whatman paper ·  Accession ID  1945.8.4

William Home Lizars, Brown Lark, 1827, hand-colored etching on Whatman wove paper, Gift of Mrs. Walter B. James, 1945.8.10

Brown Lark

William Home Lizars · 1827 · hand-colored etching on Whatman wove paper ·  Accession ID  1945.8.10

William Home Lizars, Great American Hen and Young, 1827, hand-colored etching on Whatman paper, Gift of Mrs. Walter B. James, 1945.8.6

Great American Hen and Young

William Home Lizars · 1827 · hand-colored etching on Whatman paper ·  Accession ID  1945.8.6