Pheasant watercolour by John Cyril Harrison

A superb small watercolour of a pheasant by John Cyril Harrison 1898-1985. The work skilfully observes a cock pheasant at rest on a fallen branch, with the colours bright and true. The painting is signed to the lower right, J.C.Harrison. John Cyril Harrison 1898-1985 was one of the greatest painters of wildlife, particularly birds and particularly birds in flight. As a young man he was self-taught, sketching birds and learning anatomy from the practise of taxidermy. He studied at the Slade School after the First World War and regularly visited Scotland and observed Golden Eagles. As a result of this research, he illustrated Seton Gordon’s Days with the Golden Eagle. In 1938 he went to Iceland to study the bird life and landscape and wrote an illustrated Bird Portraits. He was the illustrator for Jean Delacour’s Pheasants of the World. He also toured Africa observing birds, animals and landscape. He lived for many years in Norfolk where he painted the rare birds of the Broads and also game birds in their natural surroundings. He exhibited globally and particularly with the Tryon Gallery. This work is a fine small example of this great painter’s art, in good condition and is finely mounted in a modern frame. C.1940.
Overall sizes in inches including frame: 12 by 14