The vocifer
18th century
Imagine a bird so loud it got named 'The Shouter'—that's exactly what 'Le Vocifer' implies. Perched on a log with its beak agape, this Brahminy Kite is captured in a stunning 18th-century hand-colored engraving that showcases its fiery chestnut belly and stark white head. This style of illustration was popularized by explorers like François Levaillant, a flamboyant French ornithologist who traveled to Africa and brought back thousands of specimens to dazzle European audiences. The open beak isn't just a pose; it's a tribute to the bird's famous, piercing cry that can be heard for miles across coastal regions.
- Technique
- Hand-colored engraving
- Material
- Paper
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