Original artwork description:

'The Early Bird' is a small, egg tempera painting with gold leaf on an oak panel, showing a coal tit holding a worm in its beak. Its title comes from the English proverb, 'the early bird catches the worm'.

The painting was inspired by the coming of Spring and the return of birds to the courtyard of my house. The coal tit is a small bird with subtle colours, which contrast with the strong, deep red of the background. The down on its belly and head stands on end, giving it a particularly soft, round and appealing appearance. The bird is intent on the worm in its beak so that it seems unaware of the viewer, who can study it at leaisure.

Egg tempera paint, made by grinding dry pigments in egg yolk, was used to make the picture, along with 23 carat gold leaf on an oak panel coated with gesso (calcium carbonate and kaolin in animal skin glue).

The painting has an exposed wood border (included in the given dimensions) so that it can be displayed unframed, for example on a mini easel. It can also be framed to make it more imposing. It is signed and dated on the reverse and has a d-ring attached so that it is ready to hang.

Materials used:

Oak panel, gesso, egg tempera, pigments, gold leaf

Tags: