Black-throated Diver

Art Historical Context

Welcome to the National Gallery of Art, where we encounter the stunning *Black-throated Diver* (1836), a hand-colored engraving and aquatint by Robert Havell after John James Audubon. magnificent print is part of Audubon's groundbreaking *The Birds of America* (1827–1838), a monumental series of 435 life-size bird illustrations that revolutionized natural history art. Audubon, a self-taught artist and ornithologist, drew from live specimens in dynamic, naturalistic poses, capturing the black-throated diver—a sleek North American loon—in mid-dive with remarkable drama and anatomical precision. Havell's mastery of engraving and aquatint on high-quality Whatman wove paper allowed for extraordinary detail in this double-elephant folio format (plate: 65.1 x 98.7 cm). Teams of colorists meticulously hand-applied vibrant hues, blending scientific accuracy with artistic beauty to mimic nature's iridescence. This technique elevated prints from mere reproductions to collectible masterpieces, making Audubon's vision accessible to elite subscribers across Europe and America. Culturally, *The Birds of America* symbolized the era's Romantic fascination with wilderness and discovery, while advancing conservation awareness. A gift to the museum from Mrs. Walter B. James, this plate exemplifies how 19th-century printmaking bridged art and science, inviting us to marvel at avian elegance preserved in ink and color.

About the Artist

Robert Havell after John James Audubon

Robert Havell Jr., born on November 25, 1793, in Reading, Berkshire, England, was the son of renowned engraver and publisher Robert Havell Sr. and Lydia Miller Phillips. Growing up in a family of artists that included notable engravers and etchers, he trained under his father, mastering aquatint techniques early on. Though briefly estranged from the family business, Havell reconciled with his fath...