Merops apiaster. Bee-eater. (1862-1873)

"Merops apiaster. Bee-eater." (1862-1873) is a work by John Gould. 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. Images of plants and animals run from medieval herbals and bestiaries to the scientific illustration of the seventeenth to nineteenth centuries. Historical background, 1862-1873: The later nineteenth century is the era of Impressionism, whose first group exhibition was held in Paris in 1874, followed by Post-Impressionism, Symbolism, and the Arts and Crafts movement. In the 1890s, colour lithography and Art Nouveau made the illustrated poster a celebrated art form.

Buying "Merops apiaster. Bee-eater." means getting a digital file, not a physical print: Digital JPEG + PDF files, 300 DPI, delivered by email once payment is confirmed. A 300 DPI file is intended for printing at home or at a local print shop, where you can choose a matte, satin, or fine-art paper to suit the room. A portrait format suits narrow wall spaces, hallways, and the area beside a door or window. A simple frame with a mat often helps an image settle comfortably into a room. Matte and fine-art papers reduce glare in bright rooms, while glossy papers give stronger contrast and deeper blacks. 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.

English, 1804–1881

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