Red-Crested Cardinal - Antique Hand-Colored Print with William Hayes Sign, 1780

About this sheet

Red-Crested Cardinal Antique Hand-Colored Bird Print by William Hayes, 1780

This charming eighteenth-century hand-colored copper engraving, signed “W. Hayes 1780” and inscribed “Cardinal” in the artist’s own hand, portrays the striking Red-crested Cardinal (Paroaria coronata). Perched on a lichen-covered branch, the bird is rendered at near life size, its vermilion head and bib contrasting vividly with cool slate-blue wings and a pale grey breast. Hayes has observed the species with care: the neat slate scapulars edged in pearly blue, the compact dark bill, and the poised tail all capture the essence of this South-American songster. A clean buff background allows the jewel-bright plumage to dominate, while the spare inclusion of moss and bark lends context without distraction.

William Hayes (1735–1802) was a self-taught English ornithological artist admired for portraying birds at their true scale whenever paper size allowed. Working with live or freshly preserved specimens from aristocratic menageries—first those of the Duchess of Portland and later the Child family of Osterley Park—Hayes issued his plates in small, subscriber-assembled sets such as *A Natural History of British Birds* (1775) and *Rare and Curious Birds Accurately Drawn and Coloured from the Menagerie at Osterly Park* (1794–99). Each print was individually engraved, printed and then finished in transparent watercolours by Hayes and his children, making every sheet subtly unique.

Although labelled simply “Cardinal,” the bird here is not the familiar Northern Cardinal of North America but the Red-crested Cardinal, imported to Europe as an aviary curiosity in the late eighteenth century. Its smart red-and-grey livery made it a popular exotic subject for natural history artists and collectors. This plate therefore sits at the intersection of Enlightenment science and the era’s fascination with global biodiversity.

The print offers collectors several points of interest: a clear period signature and date, fresh hand colouring, and the rarity of Hayes’s smaller-issue plates, which often appeared only in tailor-made sets. As an example of family-run natural-history production, it also anticipates later entrepreneurial ventures such as those of John James Audubon.

Condition report
Very good impression on cream wove paper with wide margins and a strong plate mark. Delicate overall age tone; a faint unobtrusive crease near the lower margin; a tiny rust speck well outside the image at left. Colours remain bright and unfaded, the red head retaining its original intensity. No tears, repairs or staining.

Framing suggestion
Mount with an off-white museum mat to emphasise the vivid scarlet head and cool grey plumage. A narrow maple or light walnut moulding will echo the branch tones while keeping the presentation airy and modern; alternatively, an ebonised pearwood frame lends classical gravitas. Use UV-filter glazing and acid-free backing to safeguard the water-based pigments. The moderate sheet size makes this print ideal for hanging in a study or alongside other eighteenth-century ornithological works to create a cohesive natural-history wall.