Goldie's Bird of Paradise (Paradisea decora)
Oil on panel
This species is now commonly referred to as Goldie's Bird of Paradise. Hart collaborated with John Gould on ornithological publications for over fifty years, preparing lithographs and hand-colouring the plate. Their partnership culminated in the five-volumes of The Birds of New Guinea and the Adjacent Papuan Islands (1875-88) Gould's last full-scale work, left incomplete on his death in 1881. This is a rare example of an oil painting by his hand.
Private Collection
