Fruit-crows, Summer birds (1835-1839)

Dated 1835-1839, "Fruit-crows, Summer birds" is an artwork by William MacGillivray. Context for 1835-1839: The invention of lithography around 1796 and its spread in these decades made printed images cheaper and more varied. The first half of the nineteenth century moved from Neoclassicism to Romanticism, which placed emotion, nature, and the sublime at the centre of painting. The catalogue places it in Plants & Animals. The format is portrait. Plants & Animals in brief: Images of plants and animals are valued both for the care of their observation and for their decorative appeal. Naturalists and artists often worked together, especially on voyages and in published surveys of flora and fauna.

On onlly.art "Fruit-crows, Summer birds" is sold as a digital download (Digital JPEG + PDF files, 300 DPI). The files are delivered by email after payment, so nothing is shipped: you print locally, choosing the paper, size, and frame yourself. A portrait format suits narrow wall spaces, hallways, and the area beside a door or window. Before printing, compare the proportions of the file with your frame so that nothing important is cropped. Hang the print away from direct sunlight, which over the years can fade any printed colour. Screens and printers render colour differently, so a small test print is a sensible way to check tones before committing to a large size. Matte and fine-art papers reduce glare in bright rooms, while glossy papers give stronger contrast and deeper blacks.

Scottish, 1796–1852

If you like the visual language of William MacGillivray, explore more works by the same artist in our collection.