Great American Hen and Young
Medium
hand-colored etching on Whatman paper
Classification
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Gift of Mrs. Walter B. James
Accession Number
1945.8.6
Art Historical Context
Behold the *Great American Hen and Young* (1827), a stunning hand-colored etching by engraver William Home Lizars after the visionary naturalist John James Audubon This print is an early gem from Audubon's monumental *Birds of America* series, the largest and most ambitious ornithological work of its time, featuring life-sized birds in dynamic, naturalistic poses amid their habitats. Capturing a protective hen prairie chicken with her chicks, it exemplifies Audubon's romantic yet scientifically precise style, blending artistic drama with meticulous observation to immortalize North American wil...