Erithacus rubecula melophilus
Painted by Charles Collins in 1736, this watercolour captures one of Britain’s most instantly recognisable birds. The Robin (Erithacus rubecula melophilus) is the British and Irish subspecies of the European Robin, distinguished from its continental relatives by slightly warmer, more richly coloured plumage.
The Range of the Robin
Found in gardens, woodlands and hedgerows across the British Isles, the Robin is best known for its vivid orange-red breast, a feature present in both males and females, which makes it unusual among British songbirds. Its territorial nature means it sings for much of the year, including through the winter months, when its clear, melancholic song can be heard even in the depths of the cold season.
Traditions of the Robin
The Robin holds a distinctive place in British culture. Its association with Christmas dates back to the Victorian era, when postmen wearing red-breasted uniforms were nicknamed “Robins”, and the bird itself became a familiar figure on festive cards. It is also popularly associated with gardens, where its curious, confiding nature often sees it foraging close to human activity, drawn by disturbed soil that reveals worms and insects.
This painting forms part of the Taylor White Collection, a series of 18th Century watercolours documenting British and international bird life with scientific precision and artistic skill. Collins’ rendering of the Robin reflects the careful observation typical of natural history illustration from this period, when such works served both as records of species and as objects of aesthetic appreciation.
c.1680 - 1744
Charles Collins (c.1680-1744) was a painter of birds, mammals and still life, born in Dublin and trained in Ireland before establishing himself in London. He built his early reputation on still-life subjects, including a series of fruit studies for Robert Furber's Twelve Months of Fruit (1732), before turning increasingly to natural history illustration. From 1736, Collins worked alongside Peter Paillou to produce watercolours of British birds and mammals for the naturalist and collector Taylor White, contributing over 200 signed works to White's collection. His animal studies are noted for their lifelike composition, typically set against a grassy mound or tree stump rather than a plain background, and for the accuracy with which plumage and colouring were recorded from live or preserved specimens. Collins died in London in 1744, described at the time as Bird Painter to the Royal Society.
Credit: Taylor White Collection, Rare Books & Special Collections, McGill University Library.