Colomba coda a fascia
1827-1838
John James Audubon captured these Band-tailed Pigeons in a moment of quiet dining, perched among the delicate white blooms of a dogwood tree. This stunning plate comes from his massive, life-sized project 'The Birds of America', an ambitious attempt to document every bird species in North America. To get these incredibly lifelike poses, Audubon had a rather grim method: he would shoot the birds and then use wires to prop them up in natural positions before painting. It's a beautiful mix of scientific accuracy and dramatic flair that changed how we see nature.
- Technique
- Hand-colored engraving and aquatint
- Material
- Paper