Palm Warbler
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
1945.8.163
Art Historical Context
Behold the vibrant *Palm Warbler*, a stunning hand-colored engraving and aquatint on Whatman wove paper created in 1833 Robert Havell after John James Audubon. This is Plate 35 from Audubon's monumental *The Birds of America*, a groundbreaking series published between 1827 and 1838 that natural history illustration. Audubon, a French-American ornithologist and artist, captured birds in life-size, dynamic poses amid their natural habitats, blending scientific precision with romantic drama to educate and captivate audiences. Havell's masterful technique—combining fine-line engraving for intrica...
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...