Two-colored Sparrow
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
1945.8.108
Art Historical Context
Behold the *Two-colored Sparrow* (1831), a exquisite print from John James Audubon's monumentalBirds of America*,fully engraved and aquatinted by Robert Hav after Audubon's original watercolor. Audubon, a pioneering naturalist and artist, sought to depict American birds at life size in dynamic, naturalistic poses, revolutionizing ornithological illustration during the early 19th century. This work captures the sparrow's subtle plumage variations—rich browns and grays—with Audubon's signature attention to anatomical accuracy and habitat details, reflecting the era's growing fascination with Ame...
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...