Keulemans – Birds of Ceylon
This curated selection of original antique bird prints comes from The Birds of Ceylon, the celebrated ornithological work by William Vincent Legge, illustrated by the master bird artist Johannes Gerardus Keulemans. Published in the late nineteenth century, the work documented the avifauna of Ceylon — today Sri Lanka — with scientific precision and exceptional visual refinement.
Only a limited series of plates was produced for the work, making these impressions especially desirable for collectors of Victorian ornithology and natural history illustration. The selection presented here focuses on some of the most visually compelling subjects: tropical birds with striking plumage, elegant silhouettes and the unmistakable balance of Keulemans’ draughtsmanship.
A Rare Ornithological Work on the Birds of Sri Lanka
The Birds of Ceylon belongs to the great tradition of nineteenth-century regional ornithological works, when naturalists, collectors and artists collaborated to record the birdlife of distant ecosystems. Legge’s text and Keulemans’ plates together created one of the most admired visual records of Sri Lankan avifauna.
Keulemans’ gift was his ability to combine anatomical truth with compositional grace. Hornbills, barbets, cuckoos, woodpeckers, drongos and birds of prey are presented with poised clarity: scientifically convincing, yet highly decorative. Their colours, profiles and natural postures make these plates particularly suitable for refined interiors, libraries, studies and collector walls.
The examples offered by Prantique have been selected for their visual strength, rarity and exceptional state of preservation. Their fresh appearance and refined colouring allow them to stand not only as historical documents, but as elegant works of natural history art for contemporary spaces.
Heritage Stories
Keulemans’ illustrations for The Birds of Ceylon form part of the wider golden age of ornithological publishing, when scientific discovery and fine lithographic illustration came together in works of lasting beauty. These plates connect the natural history of Sri Lanka with the broader legacy of Victorian bird art.
Discover more about the artist behind these works in our dedicated article: Johannes Gerardus Keulemans — Precision and Passion in Ornithological Illustration.
For readers wishing to better understand antique prints — from technique and paper to collecting criteria — explore our guide: Antique Prints Guide.
Crimson-backed...
Original nineteenth-century bird print depicting the striking Crimson-backed Flameback (Chrysocolaptes stricklandi), illustrated by Johannes Gerardus Keulemans for William Vincent Legge’s celebrated Birds of Ceylon. This rare ornithological lithograph combines scientific precision with exceptional decorative appeal, featuring vivid crimson plumage and refined naturalistic composition.
Ceylon Hornbill...
Original nineteenth-century bird print depicting the elegant Ceylon Hornbill (Tockus gingalensis), illustrated by Johannes Gerardus Keulemans for William Vincent Legge’s celebrated Birds of Ceylon. This refined ornithological lithograph combines scientific precision with sculptural decorative appeal, featuring the species’ remarkable ivory-coloured bill and poised tropical composition.
Red-faced Malkoha...
Original nineteenth-century bird print depicting the remarkable Red-faced Malkoha (Phaenicophaeus pyrrhocephalus), illustrated by Johannes Gerardus Keulemans for William Vincent Legge’s celebrated Birds of Ceylon. With its vivid scarlet face, elegant elongated tail and refined tropical palette, this striking ornithological lithograph combines scientific precision with exceptional decorative presence.
Ceylon Barbets...
Original nineteenth-century bird print depicting two remarkable Sri Lankan barbets — Megalaema zeylanica and Megalaema flavifrons — illustrated by Johannes Gerardus Keulemans for William Vincent Legge’s celebrated Birds of Ceylon. Rich in tropical colour and compositional balance, this striking ornithological lithograph combines scientific observation with refined decorative appeal.
Sri Lankan Mynas...
Original nineteenth-century bird print depicting two remarkable Sri Lankan mynas — Eulabes ptilogenys and Acridotheres melanosternus — illustrated by Johannes Gerardus Keulemans for William Vincent Legge’s celebrated Birds of Ceylon. Distinguished by rich iridescent plumage and refined compositional balance, this elegant ornithological lithograph combines scientific precision with exceptional decorative sophistication.
Sri Lankan Drongos...
Original nineteenth-century bird print depicting two remarkable Sri Lankan drongos — Dissemurus paradiseus and Dissemurus lophorhinus — illustrated by Johannes Gerardus Keulemans for William Vincent Legge’s celebrated Birds of Ceylon. Distinguished by deep iridescent plumage and elegant elongated forms, this refined ornithological lithograph combines scientific precision with understated decorative sophistication.
Red-faced Malkoha...
Original hand-colored bird engraving depicting the Red-faced Malkoha (Centropus chlororhynchus), illustrated by Johannes Gerardus Keulemans for The Birds of Ceylon. A striking tropical composition with rich chestnut and deep blue plumage.
Crimson-fronted –...
Original hand-colored bird engraving depicting the Crimson-fronted Barbet (Xantholaema rubricapilla) and the Ceylon Hanging Parrot (Loriculus indicus), illustrated by Johannes Gerardus Keulemans for Birds of Ceylon. A vivid tropical composition rich in colour and narrative charm.
White-rumped Drongo...
Original antique bird print by J.G. Keulemans depicting Buchanga leucopygialis (White-rumped Drongo), from A History of the Birds of Ceylon. A refined Victorian ornithological lithograph with elegant tonal balance and exceptional decorative presence.
Crested Hawk-Eagle...
Original antique bird print depicting Spizaëtus kelaarti (Crested Hawk-Eagle), illustrated by J.G. Keulemans for A History of the Birds of Ceylon. A striking Victorian ornithological lithograph featuring an imposing pair of raptors with exceptional decorative presence.
Ceylon Hawk-Eagle...
Original antique bird print depicting Spizaëtus ceylonensis (Ceylon Hawk-Eagle), illustrated by J.G. Keulemans for A History of the Birds of Ceylon. A refined Victorian ornithological lithograph featuring an elegant pair of raptors with remarkable decorative presence.
Ceylon Hawk-Eagle...
Original antique bird print depicting Baza ceylonensis (Ceylon Hawk-Eagle), illustrated by J.G. Keulemans for A History of the Birds of Ceylon. A striking Victorian ornithological lithograph featuring a refined pair of raptors with strong decorative presence.