Herring Gull

Art Historical Context

Behold the majestic *Herring Gull* (1836), a stunning hand-colored engraving and aquatint by Robert Havell after John James Audubon, now housed in the National Gallery of Art. This print is a gem from Audubon's epic *The Birds of America* (1827–1838), the pioneering natural history folio that revolutionized ornithological art. Audubon, a French-American artist and naturalist, sketched birds from life in dramatic, life-sized poses amid their natural habitats, capturing the wild spirit of American wildlife with unprecedented realism. Havell's masterful technique shines here: aquatint provides soft, painterly tones evoking Audubon's watercolors, while fine engraving adds intricate feather details. Hand-coloring by skilled artisans brings the gull's sleek white plumage, piercing yellow beak, and stormy gray wings to vivid life on durable Whatman wove paper—measuring nearly 40 by 27 inches for the sheet. At double-elephant folio scale, it immerses viewers in the bird's grandeur. This generous gift from Mrs. Walter B. James celebrates Audubon's fusion of science and artistry, influencing generations of nature illustrators. Gaze upon it and feel the thrill of 19th-century exploration, where every feather tells a story of discovery.

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...