Tuesday, February 28, 2006

Audobon Exhibit

The John James Audobon exhibit at the National Gallery of Art is a must-see for any bird lover or art lover. The selected works are originals from which only two complete copies remain. He was a master illustrator who drew and painted with such detail, his works are relevant today. Enjoy!

Pileated Woodpecker

Egret

Snowy Owl (Hedwig!)

Mallard Duck

Nevermore! (Raven - hehe!)

Bald Eagle

This piece is a perfect example of how his works influenced and continue to influence scientists and illustrators even today. This depiction of the eagle with a fish has been replicated in displays in museums all over the world and books on the subject. Because he worked from real specimens, his attention to detail is unmatched.

Ivory-Billed Woodpecker

Nuthatch

A little blurry, but this piece was one of my favorites because it captures the playfulness of these adorable birds.

Osprey

One of his rare oil paintings. The watercolor (or aquatint, as it was known then) hangs nearby. Compare the two - they're amazing.

Cardinal

Easily my favorite on display. This piece was all about the birds themselves. They're so beautiful!

2 comments:

gabe said...

The ivory billed woodpecker is the one that all the bird enthusiasts were creaming their pants over, right?

One thing about Audubon that I think I know is that he died penniless and his art was all considered worthless. I think.

Heather said...

Yes - it was thought to be extinct, and it was sighted in 2005 somewhere in the south.

You may be thinking of another artist; perhaps Van Gogh. That could be said about a good number of artists! Audobon was pretty famous: http://www.nga.gov/cgi-bin/pbio?750