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.
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Original engravings from the 17th–19th century.
This original 19th-century ornithological lithograph depicts the Ceylon Hawk-Eagle (Spizaëtus ceylonensis), illustrated by Johannes Gerardus Keulemans for A History of the Birds of Ceylon. The composition presents a beautifully balanced pair of raptors — an imposing adult alongside a younger companion — rendered with exceptional precision and compositional restraint.
Rather than dramatic action, the engraving conveys calm vigilance and quiet strength, qualities that give the image a timeless and highly decorative character.
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The composition is dominated by the elegant vertical presence of the larger eagle, whose elongated posture and finely articulated plumage create a strong sculptural effect. The distinctive crest introduces movement and visual identity, while the carefully layered feathers display Keulemans’s characteristic attention to texture.
The younger bird adds balance and narrative subtlety. Positioned slightly behind and rendered in lighter tones, it softens the authority of the adult and creates a harmonious visual dialogue between maturity and youth.
The restrained palette of warm browns, creams and soft greys reinforces the engraving’s sense of refinement. A lightly atmospheric background allows the birds to emerge with clarity, giving the composition unusual visual calm.
The result is a sophisticated natural history engraving — understated yet powerful, equally suited to collectors of ornithology and to elegant interiors seeking intellectual decorative pieces.
The hawk-eagles of South Asia are admired for their agility, commanding presence and remarkable hunting abilities. Their elegant crests and strongly patterned plumage made them particularly fascinating subjects for nineteenth-century ornithologists.
Within Victorian natural history, birds of prey represented both scientific curiosity and visual grandeur — creatures admired as symbols of precision, power and wilderness.
This engraving belongs to A History of the Birds of Ceylon, an important Victorian ornithological publication devoted to the remarkable avifauna of Sri Lanka. The plates illustrated by J.G. Keulemans remain highly appreciated for their rare balance between scientific exactitude and decorative sophistication.
Keulemans’s refined handling of raptors helped establish him as one of the most respected ornithological artists of the nineteenth century, admired equally by scientists, collectors and museums.
Discover more about the artist: J.G. Keulemans — Precision and Passion in Ornithological Illustration.
Browse the complete collection: Keulemans – Birds of Ceylon Collection, featuring rare Victorian ornithological lithographs from one of the great masters of bird illustration.
Exceptionally fresh antique condition. A beautifully preserved impression retaining strong clarity, bright original color and refined tonal depth throughout the plumage. The sheet presents an unusually clean and crisp appearance with generous margins. No watermark observed. Minor signs of age may be present, fully consistent with the period.
Specific References
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.