Great Northern Diver or Loon
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
1945.8.306
Art Historical Context
Behold the majestic **Great Northern Diver or Loon**, a captivating hand-colored engraving and aquatint from1836, crafted by master engraver Robert Havell the watercolor by John James Audubon. This print is a gem from Audubon's epic *The Birds of America* (1827–1838), a groundbreaking folio series that documented over 400 North American bird species in life-size detail. Audubon's passion for ornithology shines through, portraying the loon—a powerful swimmer and diver of northern lakes—in dynamic pose amid its watery habitat, blending scientific precision with artistic drama. The medium elevat...
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...