$9,000.00
In The Snow (Himalayan Monal) Oil on Board 60cm x 50cm
Peter’s Inspiration: : “I opted to work in oils for this painting to render the extraordinary range and depth of colour in the bird’s iridescent plumage. The Himalayan Monal is a spectacular large pheasant found in the foothills of the Himalayas, ranging from eastern Afghanistan through Myanmar, Tibet, Bhutan, north-east India and Nepal, where it is the national bird. The female is discreetly patterned in shades of brown, but the male is boldly marked with iridescent colours that it shows off in spectacular breeding displays – it has been described as the most iridescent bird in the world, and once encountered is not particularly shy.
For many birdwatchers an adult male Monal is simply the Best Bird Ever; getting a sighting requires effort just getting to its high-altitude habitats. It is found in open upland forests to the edge of the tree line, at altitudes of 2000 – 4000m, and since the bird often occurs in disputed border areas even getting access can be restricted and complicated. We saw this bird at the Se La (pass) in Arunachal Pradesh, north-east India, at an altitude of over 4000m. To do this required a pass to access a restricted military area (China briefly invaded India via the Se La during the Cuban missile crisis in 1962), a trip by jeep up a precarious icy road starting at 3:00am, and searching for birds between snow showers that soon closed the road higher up. Finding and getting good views of several birds felt like an absolute highlight of an arduous three-week birdwatching trip in north-east India” .
Original painting by Peter Marsack
In stock
