Red-mantled Parrot & Yellow-cheeked Parrot (*Platycercus icterotis / Platycercus salvadorii*) – Original lithograph by Green, Ma

Red Mantle and Yellow Cheek: A Pair of Scarlet and Emerald

This original early twentieth-century hand-colored lithograph depicts two brilliantly colored parrots identified on the plate as Platycercus icterotis (Red-mantled Parrot) and Platycercus salvadori (Yellow-cheeked Parrot). The sheet belongs to Gregory M. Mathews’ landmark publication The Birds of Australia, illustrated by Roland Green and issued by Witherby & Co.

Presented in a tall, elegant pairing against a minimal background, the two birds form a vivid chromatic dialogue: saturated scarlet bodies balanced by emerald greens and deep blues, punctuated by a single warm accent of yellow at the cheek.

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Visual and Aesthetic Analysis

Roland Green designs this plate around powerful colour architecture. The dominant reds are applied with confident saturation, creating immediate visual presence, while the wing plumage is built from layered greens, teal, and ultramarine—each feather articulated with disciplined line and tonal modelling.

The composition is strikingly vertical: one bird forward, one set slightly behind, producing depth and balance without additional scenery. The understated branchwork and pale atmosphere keep the focus entirely on plumage, allowing the scarlet-and-emerald contrast to function almost like a decorative emblem.

About the Species

Parrots of the Platycercus group are celebrated for their vivid coloration and regional diversity across Australia. The presence of distinct facial markings—such as the warm yellow cheek—served as key identifiers for early ornithologists as taxonomy evolved during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

In Mathews’ comprehensive survey, such paired plates offered both scientific comparison and visual impact, demonstrating how natural history illustration could unite taxonomy with unmistakable decorative power.

Condition Report

Very good antique condition. Fresh original hand-coloring with strong lithographic impression. Printed on fine early twentieth-century wove paper. Minor age toning slightly more visible along the outer margins, consistent with age.

Details

• Author: Gregory M. Mathews
• Illustrator: Roland Green (“Green del.”)
• Work: The Birds of Australia
• Species: Red-mantled Parrot (Platycercus icterotis) & Yellow-cheeked Parrot (Platycercus salvadori)
• Period: circa 1910
• Technique: Original hand-colored lithograph
• Paper: Fine original wove paper
• Publisher: Witherby & Co.

For further insight into Roland Green’s contribution to ornithological illustration: Roland Green – Dynamic Vision and Field-Born Precision in Bird Art