A Pelican

A Pelican is a black and white wood engraving which depicts this bird in a rocky landscape. Lindsay has created sharp chiaroscuro contrasts to cast a spotlight on the bird. The textures of its beak and feathers are picked out in intricate detail against a pitch-black negative space, which is suggestive of the entrance to shadowy sea cave. The seaside location of the scene is confirmed in the closely observed texture of the rocks outside the cave’s entrance and the seaweed-riddled sand under the pelican’s feet.

A Pelican is more than an accurate zoological recording, however. Lindsay has managed to invest the pelican with a sense of personality. The low angle perspective seems to emphasise a haughty attitude: the bird is very much looking down his beak at us, the audience. Lionel Lindsay had a lifelong fascination with birds, especially exotic or wild species such as this. If A Pelican appears to be an engraving more in the style of a portrait than an objective zoological recording of a wild animal, it should come as no surprise. For Lindsay once said that he found 'birds, animals and flowers… so much more beautiful than humans'.

Te Papa has two impressions of this print. This was donated by Wellington collector and philanthropist Sir John Ilott; the other was donated by the widow of his close friend, London art dealer Harold Wright (1965-0012-110).

Sources:

David Maskill (ed.), Before Addled Art –The Graphic Art of Lionel Lindsay (Wellington: Adam Art Gallery, 2003)

Dr Mark Stocker   Curator, Historical International Art   July 2018