# Phasianus Versicolor

**William Home Lizars** (Scottish, 1788–1859)  
hand-colored etching  
sheet: 10.8 × 17 cm (4 1/4 × 6 11/16 in.)

Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington, 1973.26.28. [The museum's record](https://www.nga.gov/collection/art-object-page.53855.html).

## About this work

William Home Lizars made this. It is now at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC.

### What you’re looking at

The image shows a pheasant with vivid green and blue plumage and intricate golden patterns on its wings. The bird has long, patterned tail feathers extended to the right. The background includes palm trees, rocky outcrops, and distant hills.

_Description from the National Gallery of Art._

### How it was made

- **Etching.** The artist draws with a needle through a waxy coating on a copper plate, and acid bites the exposed lines. The plate is then inked, wiped and printed under pressure, so the line keeps the freedom of drawing.
- **Hand-coloured.** Printed in black, then coloured by hand in watercolour, one sheet at a time.

### [William Home Lizars](https://www.ochreeditions.com/artists/william-home-lizars)

Scottish, 1788–1859

## Facts

- Type: Print
- Real size: about 4½ × 6½ in (11 × 17 cm). The original is small: even the 8 × 10 in print shows it larger than life.
- Century: 18th century
- Subjects: plant, bird, Tree, Water
- Colour: brown
- Rights: public domain (CC0 1.0); free to use for any purpose.

## Get it

- Free download, full resolution: https://img.ochreeditions.com/m/1565.jpg?dl=1
- Image: https://img.ochreeditions.com/a/1565/1920.jpg
- Giclée reproduction on Hahnemühle Photo Rag: 8 × 10 in $28; 11 × 14 in $38; 12 × 16 in $42; 16 × 20 in $56; 18 × 24 in $68; 20 × 30 in $86
- Framed reproduction: 8 × 10 in $78; 11 × 14 in $98; 12 × 16 in $108; 16 × 20 in $138; 18 × 24 in $164; 20 × 30 in $208
- Canvas reproduction: 8 × 10 in $58; 11 × 14 in $72; 12 × 16 in $79; 16 × 20 in $98; 18 × 24 in $118
- Print-ready file: 8 × 10 in $2; 11 × 14 in $2; 12 × 16 in $3; 16 × 20 in $3; 18 × 24 in $3; 20 × 30 in $5

Sizes stop where the museum's file would print below 150 pixels per inch. Everything sold is a reproduction, made to order. [Order a print](https://www.ochreeditions.com/art/phasianus-versicolor-nga-53855).