Dusky Petrel
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
1945.8.299
Art Historical Context
Behold the *Dusky Petrel*, a captivating plate from John James Audub monumental *The Birds of America* (7–1838), masterfully engraved and printed by Robert Havell in 1836. Audubon, a pioneering naturalist and artist, sought to depict North American birds at life size, drawing from meticulous field observations. This image captures the elusive dusky petrel—a seabird of the Pacific—in a dynamic, naturalistic pose, reflecting Audubon's revolutionary blend of scientific precision and artistic drama, which elevated ornithological illustration to high art. Crafted as a hand-colored engraving and aq...
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...