Louisiana Tanager and Scarlet Tanager

Art Historical Context

Behold the vibrant *Louisiana Tanager and Tanager* (1837), a stunning print from John James Audubon's monumentalThe Birds of America*. Created by master engraver Robert Havell Audubon's original watercolor, this work captures two striking North American songbirds in dynamic, life-sized poses amid lush foliage. Audubon's ambitious four-volume project (1827–1838), with 435 plates like this one, revolutionized natural history illustration by blending scientific precision with artistic drama, making birds appear alive and leaping off the page. Printed as a hand-colored engraving and aquatint on fine Whatman wove paper, the medium showcases Havell's technical brilliance. Aquatint provided soft tonal gradients for feathers and leaves, while meticulous hand-coloring by studio artists ensured each of the edition's copies glowed with jewel-like intensity—the brilliant scarlet of the male tanager against the female's subtler yellows. At plate size 49.9 x 31.8 cm on a generous 100 x 67.3 cm sheet, these "double elephant" folios were engineering marvels, produced in London to reach elite subscribers worldwide. This gift to the National Gallery of Art from Mrs. Walter B. James exemplifies 19th-century printmaking's role in democratizing nature's wonders, inspiring generations of artists, scientists, and nature lovers. A testament to Audubon's passion for America's wild beauty!

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...