Book Illustration, Histoire naturelle des oiseaux de paradis et des rolliers: suivie de celle des toucans et des barbus (Natural history of birds of paradise and rollers: followed by toucans and barbets), vol. 1; Le Nébuleux, étalant ses parures (The nebulous, spreading her ornaments), plate 16

François Le Vaillant was a naturalist and renowned author: his popular accounts of travels in southern Africa in the 1780s were translated into six languages. Le Vaillant was born in Surinam and grew up surrounded by forests, fascinated with local birdlife. When his family returned to Europe, he pursued studies in natural history. Le Vaillant spent many years documenting birds in Africa and was among the first to use colored plates to illustrate birds. Le Vaillant worked closely with illustrator Jacques Barraband for most of his publications. Initially, Barraband had created designs for carpets and porcelain, but then turned to illustrating books on insects, birds, and flowers—this work is among his most famous.