Nuttall's Lesser Marsh Wren
Medium
hand-colored engraving and aquatint on Whatman wove paper
Dimensions
plate: 49.5 x 31.1 cm (19 1/2 x 12 1/4 in.) sheet: 100.3 x 67.3 cm (39 1/2 x 26 1/2 in.)
Classification
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Gift of Mrs. Walter B. James
Accession Number
1945.8.175
Art Historical Context
Behold *Nuttall's Lesser Wren*, a stunning plate from John James Audub groundbreaking *Birds of America* (1827–1838), meticulously engraved by Robert Havell after Audubon's original watercolor in 1833. Audubon, a pioneering naturalist and artist, sought to document every North American bird species at life size, revolutionizing ornithological illustration with his dynamic compositions. This print captures the tiny wren—named for botanist Thomas Nuttall—perched amid marsh reeds, showcasing Audubon's flair for dramatic poses and naturalistic habitats that brought birds vividly to life. Crafted ...
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...