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1827-1838
John James Audubon was obsessed with capturing birds in action, and this plate from his monumental 'The Birds of America' is a perfect example. Here, he depicts the 'Black-capped Titmouse' (what we now call the Black-capped Chickadee) in a lively scene. One bird perches delicately to inspect a hanging seed pod, while the other flutters below with wings fully spread, as if caught mid-movement. Audubon famously wired up dead specimens to achieve these dynamic, lifelike poses rather than painting stiff, profile views like his predecessors. The text at the bottom even includes a phonetic spelling of their call, 'Sappie-puk,' giving us a charming glimpse into how these little birds sounded in the wild nearly two centuries ago.
- Technique
- Hand-colored engraving
- Material
- Paper
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