William Hayes (1735–1802) Birds

Interesting to learn this week about the keeping of bird menageries in 18th-century England, as symbols of wealth and Enlightenment curiosity. Our new collection of bird illustrations by William Hayes (1735–1802) et al. (no less than seven members of his family or 'pupils' collaborated on his works) are a striking record of this endeavour. Hayes is known as the first artist to record a single private collection of live birds, his most famous commission being the illustration of the menagerie at Osterley Park, Middlesex, owned by Robert and Sarah Child. Osterley Park contained over ninety-seven different species of bird, cared for by a 'Menagerie Man' called Jonathan Chipps. Hayes's illustrations were hung in the menagerie, and subsequently published as 'Portraits of Rare and Curious Birds, with their Descriptions, from the Menagery of Osterley Park [sic]', 1794–1799.

Hayes's illustrative style was largely decorative and the acquisition of exotic birds was often more a matter of aesthetics than science, feeding a broader vogue for Asian decorative objects and styles; exotic birds would adorn not only in garden menageries but porcelain, textiles and wallpaper. Visiting Osterley Park in 1772, Agneta Yorke wrote to Lady Beauchamp Proctor that she thought it, ‘The prettiest place I ever saw, ’tis an absolute retreat, & fill’d with all sorts of curious and scarce Birds and Fowles, among the rest 2 Numidian Cranes that follow like Dogs, and a pair of Chinese teal that have only been seen in England before upon the India paper.'

VIEW THE FULL COLLECTION.

VIEW IMAGE 1: William Hayes, Female Yellow-knobbed Curassow Bird – c.1780s hand-coloured etching (STOCK NUMBER: KD-678).
Image 2: William Hayes, Ruff Bird – c.1779 hand-coloured etching;
Image 3: William Hayes, Sea Pie Oystercatcher Bird – c.1775 hand-coloured etching;
Image 4: Ceramic Parade Jar, c.1700–1770, Osterley House. Image courtesy of Stuart Howat.;
Image 5: Bluebells, Osterley Park by Jim Osley