Great Tern

Art Historical Context

Behold the majestic *Great Tern*, a stunning hand-colored engraving and aquatint by Robert Havell, faithfully reproducing John James Audubon's original watercolor from his landmark publication *The Birds of America (1827–1838). Created in 1836 on fine Whatman wove paper, this print captures the tern in dynamic flight against a naturalistic backdrop, showcasing Audubon's revolutionary approach to avian portraiture. Audubon, a pioneering naturalist and artist, depicted birds life-size with dramatic poses drawn from meticulous field observations, blending scientific accuracy with artistic flair during the Romantic era's fascination with nature. Havell's masterful techniques elevated these prints to masterpieces of printmaking. Engraving provided intricate feather details and bold outlines, while aquatint added subtle tonal gradations for lifelike shading. Artisans then hand-colored each plate, ensuring vibrant hues that mimicked Audubon's vivid palette—a labor-intensive process that made the double-elephant folio edition (measuring up to 39 inches tall) one of the most ambitious and expensive projects of its time. Produced in London to reach elite subscribers, it symbolized the era's growing appreciation for natural history as both science and art. Today, this gift to the National Gallery of Art from Mrs. Walter B. James invites visitors to marvel at humanity's quest to document the wild world, bridging 19th-century exploration with our enduring wonder for birds in flight.

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...