About the artist
Born in 1804 and dying in 1881, John Gould was an English ornithologist. His richly illustrated books on birds are treasures among bibliophiles. Many regard him as the pioneer of bird study in Australia, and the Gould League in Australia pays homage to his name. His categorization of the bird species, now dubbed "Darwin's finches," contributed to the birth of Darwin's evolution theory via natural selection. Gould's research is featured in Charles Darwin's book, On the Origin of Species.
As the son of the head gardener at Windsor Castle, Gould picked up taxidermy skills. By 1827, he served as the taxidermist for the Zoological Society of London. His wife, Elizabeth Coxon, prior to her death in 1841, skillfully transferred Gould's sketches to lithographer's stone, greatly enriching his works with her artistic prowess.
