Jj audubon birds of america book
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John James Audubon: Birds of America
Plate 21, Mocking Bird
Published in London beginning in , John James Audubon’s The Birds of America is extraordinary in several ways. The enormous 4 volume “Double Elephant Folio” carefully and accurately documents species of American birds in life-size prints, making it an important work of natural history and scientific observation. Based on Audubon’s dynamic original paintings, each image was printed from an etched copper plate, and each print was then hand-colored with watercolor paints. The resulting plates are recognized for their uncommonly beautiful representations of the natural world and as exceptionally fine examples of 19th century etching and printing technologies. Accompanied by a five-volume textual account of Audubon’s observations and adventures, Ornithological Biography, or, An Account of the Habits of the Birds of the United States of America, the work’s scope and scale make it truly unique.
Yale’s two complete sets
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'Birds of America' and Audubon's legacy
How John James Audubon published 'Birds of America', and the artist's awareness of the need to preserve endangered species.
American flamingo.
'Birds of America' is one of the world's most famous and valuable books. Its huge pages contain the life's work of John James Audubon, a Haitian-born Frenchman who became an American citizen.
The book took nearly 12 years to complete. In four volumes it contains plates showing 1, life-size illustrations of bird species of 19th-century America.
Painstakingly engraved
Audubon was determined to have his paintings reproduced to the highest possible standards.
The first 10 copper plates were painstakingly engraved by William Home Lizars. A team of colourists then reproduced the details of the original painting on to the engraved print.
Work completed
Hawk owl.
'Birds of America' was completed in after years of intensive work, first by Lizars in Edinburgh and then by Robert Havell of
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Timestamp: Thu, 20 Feb UTC