The British Museum Birds

by PILBEAM MAVIS (Editor)

The British Museum's vast collections include wonderful images of birds by artists from almost every culture. Some are primarily decorative, whereas Thomas Bewick and the Japanese artist Kitawaga Utamaro chose to show birds in realistic detail, going about their daily activities. Other artists concentrate on scientific accuracy.

The endless variety of birds, their freedom of sky, land and water, and their songs have also inspired poets through the ages. Each striking image in this beautiful anthology is matched with a poem about the same species. Some were composed by our best-loved writers, including Shakespeare, Chaucer and Tennyson. Several of John Clare's affectionate poems are also included, while others have been selected from less familiar or even anonymous voices around the world.

This exquisite book makes an irresistible gift for any bird-lover.

96 pages, Hardcover

First published February 4, 2008

Reviews

[Caro the Helmet Lady · Rating 5 out of 5]

And again, what a lovely selection of artworks and poetry. Among some old favourites I discovered a new artist I'll be looking for in my online searches.
Ladies and Gentleman, Huang Yongyu and his "Auspicious and Inauspicious Owls".

Pretty much sums up my mood this Monday morning...

[Gerry · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a splendid book this is, as befits a publication produced by The British Museum Press. Mavis Pilbeam has searched the Museum's archives to unearth some absolutely beautiful bird illustrations from all eras and from all round the world. And she has matched them with a variety of poetry that beautifully captures the spirit of the images.

Thomas Bewick's delightful Robin Redbreast watercolour is covered by Sir Walter Scott's 'Proud Maisie', a song sung by the madwoman Madge Wildfire on her deathbed in 'The Heart of Midlothian'. And an artist whose books I regularly sold in my younger days (and I have heard little of him since) Eric Fitch Daglish has a wood engraving (he is brilliant at the art) of a Pied Wagtail and Thomas Hardy (not one of my favourite authors) does it proud with his poem 'Wagtail and Baby'.

Samuel Palmer's 'The Skylark' etching on chine appliqué is tremendously atmospheric and is matched by Irishman Samuel Ferguson's poem 'The Lark in the Clear Air' while 'The Northamptonshire Peasant Poet', John Clare, does justice in 'Early Nightingale' to another delightful Fitch Daglish wood engraving. Clare, well known for his celebrations of the English countryside, has contributed a number of poems for the selection.

The Orientals are well exhibited with scroll paintings and wood engravings with Edward Thomas' 'Snow' capturing Oda Kaisen's 'Egret in Willow on Snow' so well. And Gan Tai's dramatic 'Eagle and Monkey' (so dramatic, I am not sure I can see the monkey!) is matched with Alfred, Lord Tennyson's powerful 'The Eagle'.

It is a book to read and admire over and over again ... and I feel sure I will!

[Ana Dias Amaral · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting poetry anthology where birds are the main character, illustrated by works from the British Museum

[Miguel Vian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely little collection. Gorgeous illustrations and beautiful poems.

[su · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve really enjoyed learning about birds through poems. It was lovely to see the pictures of the birds and read about them. I would highly recommend this to all bird lovers.