Hugh Ridley is the author of books on varied aspects of German culture, law and history. After many years as a Professor at University College Dublin, he moved to the UK, where he now lives. He is a member of the Royal Irish Academy.
Have you ever wondered why so many scientific handbooks on birds use paintings rather than photographs, or why the painters Killian Mullarney and Lars Johnson are such significant figures in ornithology? This book gives an account of the 500 years during which bird-painting reached such heights, and...