333 Birds: Peter Vos

A facsimile of a sketchbook by the Dutch artist and illustrator Peter Vos (1935-2010) is presented in this beautiful publication, along with a volume of introductory essays. The title derives from the sketchbook's detailed drawings of 333 birds, which Vos completed over eighteen months from June 1980 to December 1981. He began by going to zoos to sketch the birds, then worked out the sketches in the book. Vos' drawings are records of his encounters with individual birds, expressing curiosity for his companions and their characters, true to nature and with an understanding of their personalities.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 415 pages
Publication date: 05 April 2022
Publisher: Thoth Uitgeverij

This captivating publication presents a facsimile of a sketchbook by the Dutch artist and illustrator Peter Vos (1935-2010), accompanied by a volume of introductory essays. The title originates from the sketchbook's detailed drawings of 333 birds.

From ancient times, people have been captivated by birds, and they have created images of their winged companions. The artist Peter Vos was one of them. He kept bird diaries, where he recorded the birds he encountered and captured them in pen and ink, watercolors, and other mediums. Vos took great pleasure in capturing the essence of each bird, focusing primarily on their unique characteristics and personalities. Whether hunched down, in full stretch, in water or on land, on their backs, necks turned ninety or a hundred and eighty degrees, foreshortened or in three-quarter view, preening their plumage, or their wings poised for flight, Vos often depicted his birds multiple times on one sheet, allowing viewers to truly get to know them.

333 birds was a project that Vos set himself: to fill an empty book with 333 birds drawn as beautifully as possible. He completed this task over a period of eighteen months, from June 1980 to December 1981. He began by visiting zoos to sketch the birds, and then worked on the sketches in the book. Vos meticulously laid out the sketches and included Latin names, referencing field guides and nineteenth-century books of plates. However, unlike the creators of those books, Vos aimed to draw individual birds rather than species. He did not straighten crooked feathers, correct odd poses, or erase blind eyes. Vos's drawings serve as records of his encounters with individual birds. We should view 333 birds as an expression of curiosity for his companions. Vos loved these winged friends and presented them to us in a long line, creating a beautiful and captivating collection.

Dimension: 195 x 115 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9789068688467