Hand-colored lithographs from The Birds of Great Britain Sold as a set of 4. John Gould (English, 1804-1881). London: For the author, R. & J. Taylor 1848. Framed and glazed. John Gould is widely considered as the greatest and most ambitious of all Victorian ornithologists, combining both artistic skill, beauty and anatomical accuracy. Following the tradition of natural history illustrators, such as Barraband and Audubon, Gould enlisted the services of some of the most notable ornithological artists; including Edward Lear, Joseph Wolf and his own wife, Elizabeth, to complete the most outstanding and comprehensive works in the field. As a tribute to his native homeland of England, John Gould published the Birds of Great Britain. This folio was issued over the course of several years from 1862 – 1873 and contains 367 hand-colored lithographs portraying the various avian species found in Great Britain. Tender nesting scenes populate the folio as many of the prints feature mature birds alongside their young.