Philadelphia, PA, The Artist, 2003. A fine, original full colour painting (16.5 x 20.3 cm, with a 2.5 cm white border). Acrylic on cardboard, by the American animal painter Tom Leonard.

A fine original painting, designed for a book on Aztec (Middle American and Mexican) mythology. As shown, birds in particular are the subject of the Aztec’s often ingenious fables. This particular illustration was specifically made for a children's book, The Cuckoo's Sacrifice. A Tale from Yucután, by Joseph da Silva (ISBN-13: 9780618293308), in which it formed the full page 11. The story explains why the cuckoo, once a colourful bird, had suddenly become grey. The artist, Tom Leonard, lives in Philadelphia and has been working as an illustrator and illustration teacher at the Philadelphia University of the Arts for many years. He has illustrated many books, including, e.g., Here is the Coral Reef, Here is the African Savanna, and Who Will Plant a Tree. A unique item in excellent condition.