Vintage Green Toucan Print
Buy this print on Etsy →A charismatic splash of the tropics, this antique print of a green toucan comes from one of the most beautiful ornithological books of the eighteenth century - Saverio Manetti's 'Storia naturale degli uccelli' (Natural History of Birds), a lavish folio produced in Florence in the 1760s and 1770s. The toucan, with its enormous colourful bill and glossy plumage, is rendered life-size and brimming with personality against a soft aged ground, every detail glowing with the hand-colouring that made Manetti's plates so treasured.
Commissioned by the Marquis Giovanni Gerini and overseen by the physician and botanist Saverio Manetti, the great 'Ornitologia' was an extraordinary undertaking: some six hundred birds engraved and coloured entirely by hand, many of them exotic species that most Europeans of the day had never laid eyes on. The toucan, with its almost cartoonish bill and bold colours, was exactly the kind of wondrous creature that thrilled eighteenth-century collectors - equal parts scientific curiosity and decorative delight.
What makes these plates so appealing today is that mix of accuracy and warmth. The bird is carefully observed yet full of charm and character, its bright colours leaping off the warm antique paper. It carries all the romance of a Grand Tour cabinet of curiosities, from an age of discovery and wonder.
As wall art it is a joyful statement. The vivid tropical palette makes it a natural for a living room, sunroom or study, a nursery or child's room, a kitchen or a maximalist gallery wall, and it suits tropical, jungle, boho and eclectic interiors. It is a wonderful gift for bird lovers, nature enthusiasts and anyone drawn to vintage ornithology and exotic decor, and it pairs beautifully with other antique bird and botanical prints.
Because the original was published in the eighteenth century, it is firmly in the public domain, which is why we can reproduce it at full museum quality.
Each print is produced on premium 189 gsm museum-grade archival matte paper, faithfully capturing the brilliant colour, fine feather detail and soft warmth of the antique paper - ready to frame and enjoy for years to come.
