Threnetes antoniae (Sooty Barbthroat).

From A Monograph of the Trochilidae, or Family of Humming-Birds, 6 vols., large folio. Published in London, 1849–1887. Printed by Hullmandel and Walter from drawings by J. Gould, H. C. Richter, and William Hart, lithographed by the artists.

The Sooty Barbthroat is a somberly colored yet elegant hummingbird, recognized by its dark olive-brown plumage, slightly decurved bill, and the fine bristle-like feathers at the base of its bill that form the “barbthroat. In Gould’s hand-colored lithograph, the bird is portrayed feeding from a tubular blossom, its poised form and subtle tones rendered with exquisite care. The application of metallic pigment brings a quiet luminosity to the image, highlighting the delicate structure of the bird’s feathers and the natural simplicity of its surroundings.

John Gould’s Monograph of the Trochilidae is among the grandest works of nineteenth-century ornithological art. Produced over nearly four decades, it reflects Gould’s deep scientific curiosity and his collaboration with master lithographers Henry Constantine Richter and William Hart. The Sooty Barbthroat plate captures the balance of accuracy and artistry that defines the series—celebrating even the most modestly plumaged species with the same reverence afforded to nature’s most radiant birds.