A Great Bustard

There was an enormous growth of interest in natural history in the 18th Century and a number of natural history artists came to prominence, including Georg Dionysius Ehret, George Edwards, Charles Collins, Isaac Spackman and Peter Paillou. Paillou lived in Islington and later Marylebone, London and worked for Thomas Pennant (1729-1798) the eminent naturalist. For another example of his work see I.A. Williams, Early English Watercolours, Bath, 1952, pl.XXV.
For other examples of work by Peter Paillou, see the catalogue of the sale in these Rooms, 16 March 1993, lots 10 and 13-14.