Chestnut-backed Titmouse, Black-capped Titmouse and Chestnut-crowned Titmouse
Medium
hand-colored engraving and aquatint on Whatman wove paper
Classification
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Gift of Mrs. Walter B. James
Accession Number
1945.8.353
Art Historical Context
Behold the lively trio of **Chestnut-backed Titmouse, Blackapped Titmouse, and-crowned Titmouse**, stunning 1837 hand-colored engraving and aquatint by Robert Havell after John James Audubon. print hails from Audubon's epic *The Birds of America* (1827–1838), a landmark publication that revolutionized natural history illustration by depicting North American birds at life size. Audubon, a self-taught artist and ornithologist, traveled extensively to observe birds in their habitats, capturing their dynamic poses and intricate details with dramatic realism. Printed on fine Whatman wove paper, th...
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...