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Red-billed Leiothrix (Leiothrix lutea): 4171.9

An image of Drawing
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An image of Drawing
An image of Drawing
Current Location: In storage

Titles

Red-billed Leiothrix (Leiothrix lutea)

Maker(s)

Youqua

Entities

Categories

Description

A watercolour drawing from the album 4171. This image depicts a pair of Red-billed Leiothrix (Leiothrix lutea) on flowering branches. The birds have plumage with iridescent green upperparts and caps, bright golden-yellow throats and breasts that transition to warm orange tones, and coral-red bills and legs. Both birds show the subtle sexual dimorphism typical of the species, with slightly varying intensities in their coloration while maintaining the overall striking yellow and green palette. The acacia branches have compound leaves and clusters of small yellow flowers. The painting demonstrates the fine brushwork characteristic of Chinese export art from the late 18th or early 19th century, combining ornithological documentation and traditional Chinese flower-and-bird painting style.

Measurements and weight

Height: 250 mm
Width: 337 mm

Acquisition and important dates

Method of acquisition: Given (1909) by Bothamley, Rev. H.

Note

Export album made for the Western market

School or Style

Chinese
Chinese export art
Chinese export watercolour

Materials used in production

Watercolour
Bodycolour
White highlights
Ink

Components of the work

Support composed of pith paper

Techniques used in production

Drawing : Watercolour, bodycolour and ink with heightening in white on pith paper, laid down with with strips of blue silk-covered paper

Identification numbers

Accession number: 4171.9
Primary reference Number: 185671

Audit data

Created: Tuesday 11 October 2011 Updated: Thursday 28 August 2025

Associated departments & institutions

Owner or interested party: The Fitzwilliam Museum
Associated department: Paintings, Drawings and Prints

Citation for print

This record can be cited in the Harvard Bibliographic style using the text below:

The Fitzwilliam Museum (2025) "Red-billed Leiothrix (Leiothrix lutea)" Web page available at: https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/185671 Accessed: 2025-12-31 17:37:50

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{{cite web|url=https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/185671 |title=Red-billed Leiothrix (Leiothrix lutea) |author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2025-12-31 17:37:50|publisher=The University of Cambridge}}

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