J. J. Audubon Havell Edition Engraving "Hairy Woodpecker..." 1838

Item Details

John James Audubon (American, 1785–1851)
Hairy Woodpecker, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Red-shafted Woodpecker, Lewis Woodpecker, Red-breasted Woodpecker, 1838
Hand-colored engraving on paper
Havell Edition
Pulled from Birds of America, 1838
Printed by Robert Havell, London
Label affixed to verso

Famed ornithologist, conservationist, and artist, John James Audubon combined his passions to create a myriad of wildlife sketches, prints, and publications still revered. He was born Jean-Jacques Rabin Audubon in Saint-Domingue (what is today Haiti) to French lieutenant Jean Audubon and his father’s mistress Jeanne Rabine, a French chambermaid. He was raised in France, but as soon as he turned eighteen, he emigrated to the United States where he officially changed his name to John James Audubon. Audubon always had a passion for nature but especially birds. It took him a while after arriving in America to establish himself and his career. He worked as a portrait painter, fencing instructor, music teacher, and even as a taxidermist in Cincinnati, Ohio. During this time, he would also study, sketch, and perform experiments with birds, including creating one of the first recorded experiments of bird tagging and tracking in America. He would go on to illustrate some of his most notable works including The Birds of America, a 7-volume octavo edition, and The Viviparous Quadrupeds of North America, the latter two of which were printed by his longtime collaborator John T. Bowen. Audubon was a pioneer in the field of ornithological art and studies and many of his works can be found in collections such as The British Museum, London, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, The National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C., online at The Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County, and many others.

Condition

- undulations to edges of sheets; foxing; mild yellowing to print; some scuffs to glazing; accretions and scuffing to frame.

Dimensions

- measures frame.

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Item #

ITMGS93632