BIOGRAPHY
A French-born American naturalist and artist, John James Audubon was educated in France where he reportedly received drawing lessons from Jacques-Louis David. He appears to have visited America in 1803, before settling there in 1806. He led a peripatetic life as merchant and portrait painter before working as a taxidermist in Ohio. After 1820 he devoted himself to painting birds with the intention of publication. Having failed to find an American publisher, he visited England in 1826 where The Birds of America was issued in four volumes (1827–38) of hand-tinted aquatints by Robert Havell, whose son Robert Jr. (active 1820–50) engraved the plates. He completed the text (5 vols., 1831–9) in Edinburgh with the assistance of William MacGillivray before returning to New York in 1839. He then began work on The Quadrupeds of America (2 vols., 1842–5) assisted by his sons. The Birds of America, which is generally considered to be among the finest of color-print books, contains engravings of 435 watercolors, which combine scientific accuracy with dramatic, even Romantic composition (such as idealized nature, and 'artificial' staged compositions). Above all, Audubon's work exhibits great artistry coupled with a love of the natural world.
A French-born American naturalist and artist, John James Audubon was educated in France where he reportedly received drawing lessons from Jacques-Louis David. He appears to have visited America in 1803, before settling there in 1806. He led a peripatetic life as merchant and portrait painter before working as a taxidermist in Ohio. After 1820 he devoted himself to painting birds with the intention of publication. Having failed to find an American publisher, he visited England in 1826 where The Birds of America was issued in four volumes (1827–38) of hand-tinted aquatints by Robert Havell, whose son Robert Jr. (active 1820–50) engraved the plates. He completed the text (5 vols., 1831–9) in Edinburgh with the assistance of William MacGillivray before returning to New York in 1839. He then began work on The Quadrupeds of America (2 vols., 1842–5) assisted by his sons. The Birds of America, which is generally considered to be among the finest of color-print books, contains engravings of 435 watercolors, which combine scientific accuracy with dramatic, even Romantic composition (such as idealized nature, and 'artificial' staged compositions). Above all, Audubon's work exhibits great artistry coupled with a love of the natural world.
2. Works of art by John James Audubon in the Crystal Bridges Museum main collection:
American Chipmunk ; Snowy Heron, or White Egret ; American Cross Fox ; Wild Turkey Cock, Hen and Young ; Wild Cat
American Chipmunk ; Snowy Heron, or White Egret ; American Cross Fox ; Wild Turkey Cock, Hen and Young ; Wild Cat
REFERENCES
Biography adapted from Rodgers, David. "Audubon, John James." The Oxford Companion to Western Art. Ed. Hugh Brigstocke. Oxford Art Online. Oxford University Press. Web.<http://www.oxfordartonline.com/subscriber/article/opr/t118/e135>.
Artwork behind title: John James Audubon's American Chipmunk (detail), Crystal Bridges Museum
Biography adapted from Rodgers, David. "Audubon, John James." The Oxford Companion to Western Art. Ed. Hugh Brigstocke. Oxford Art Online. Oxford University Press. Web.<http://www.oxfordartonline.com/subscriber/article/opr/t118/e135>.
Artwork behind title: John James Audubon's American Chipmunk (detail), Crystal Bridges Museum
