Limerick artist’s work was far from being for the birds

Limerick artist’s work was far from being for the birds

WILLIAM Matthew Hart may not be a name familiar to many, but his hand helped shape how people in the 19th century saw the natural world. A brilliant illustrator and lithographer, Hart worked closely with one of Victorian England’s most renowned ornithologists, John Gould, creating dazzling images of birds from across the globe – particularly the iridescent hummingbirds and flamoyant birds-of-paradise that captivated the imagination in a time bef…