American Flamingo by John James Audubon was created in 1838. The painting is in National Gallery of Art Washington D.C. The size of the work is 87,6 x 58,8 cm and is produced as an hand-colored engraving and aquatint on Whatman wove paper.
About the Artist: American artist, naturalist, and ornithologist John James Audubon was born in Les Cayes, Saint-Domingue, West Indies. Young Audubon developed an interest in drawing birds during his boyhood in France. At twelve, Audubon went to military school and became a cabin boy. He quickly found out that he was susceptible to seasickness and not fond of mathematics or navigation.
At age 18 he was sent to the United States in order to avoid conscription and to enter business. He began his study of North American birds at that time; this study would eventually lead him from Florida to Labrador, Canada. Audubon resumed his bird studies and created his own nature museum, perhaps inspired by the great museum of natural history created by Charles Willson Peale in Philadelphia. Peale’s bird exhibits were considered scientifically advanced. Audubon’s room was brimming with birds’ eggs, stuffed raccoons and opossums, fish, snakes, and other creatures. He had become proficient at specimen preparation and taxidermy. Audubon painted some of his works while staying at the Key West house and gardens of Capt. John H. Geiger. Read more
Order a reproduction of this work (printed on canvas)
