Jacques Barraband

Jacques Barraband
Jacques Barraband (unknown), French, Jacques Barraband is a French artist, an enigmatic figure in the world of art. Very little reliable biographical information is available, and much of their creative journey remains lost to time.
Their surviving works speak in quiet tones — suggestive, poetic, and shrouded in mystery.
  • Le grand Oiseau de Paradis, éméraude, mâle (1806)

    Le grand Oiseau de Paradis, éméraude, mâle (1806)

    Jacques Barraband (French, unknown)

    Emerald plumage shimmers against parchment, each feather meticulously rendered. The bird of paradise arches its neck, tail plumes cascading like liquid metal frozen mid-fall. A jeweled creature suspended between scientific specimen and living wonder.

  • Variété du Magnifique. (1806)

    Variété du Magnifique. (1806)

    Jacques Barraband (French, unknown)

    A vibrant bird perches among lush foliage, its plumage a riot of color against delicate leaves. Every feather seems alive, rendered with precision that blurs the line between art and nature. The creature’s gaze holds something wild yet poised, as if frozen mid-motion between flight and stillness.

  • Le Toco. (1806)

    Le Toco. (1806)

    Jacques Barraband (French, unknown)

    A toucan’s beak glows against muted greens, its black feathers edged with iridescence. Watercolor strokes give life to each barb, as if the bird might blink and tilt its head any moment. The paper holds not just an image, but the weight of a living gaze.

  • Le Tocan à Collier jaune. (1806)

    Le Tocan à Collier jaune. (1806)

    Jacques Barraband (French, unknown)

    A yellow-collared toucan perches with quiet intensity, its black beak stark against soft plumage. Watercolor strokes bring life to each feather, the bird’s gaze holding something wild and untamed. The vibrant hues suggest tropical forests, a fleeting glimpse of nature’s brilliance preserved on paper.

  • Le petit Oiseau de paradis Emeraude, mâle. (1806)

    Le petit Oiseau de paradis Emeraude, mâle. (1806)

    Jacques Barraband (French, unknown)

    A male emerald paradise bird perches, its jewel-toned plumage glowing against the paper. Delicate brushstrokes trace each iridescent feather, as if the tiny creature might take flight with the next breath. The watercolor breathes life into this exotic specimen, frozen mid-display.

  • Le Coq de roche du Pérou. (1806)

    Le Coq de roche du Pérou. (1806)

    Jacques Barraband (French, unknown)

    A fiery splash of orange and black perches against muted greens—the cock-of-the-rock’s plumage burns bright, its sharp beak and watchful eye hinting at wild, unseen forests. Every feather seems alive, painted with a precision that makes the bird almost breathe on the page.