Elphick, J: Birds The Art of Ornithology

"...for a truly special gift, I would recommend Jonathan Elphick's Birds: The Art of Ornithology...In this beautifully produced and sumptuously illustrated work, Elphick tells the story of how bird art developed from the earliest images scratched on the walls of prehistoric caves to the present day, with the main focus on that golden age of avian illustration and portraiture, the 19th century. If no one takes the hint, then you can always buy it for yourself." Stephen Moss - Guardian " - Jonathan Elphick's meticulously researched and sumptuously illustrated book - there are over 200 colour plates - narrates how bird art has evolved...In a book that covers huge amounts of territory, Elphick also features the lesser known or neglected artists such as William MacGillivray and the Dutch painter John Keulemans. He also manages to blend analysis of their technique and style with tales from their often eventful lives...The benefit of Elphick's rounded approach is a work of scholarship that is also a pleasure to read. If you have space in your library for just one book on bird art, then I would heartily recommend this superb volume." Mark Cocker - BBC Wildlife Magazine