Charrán negro
1827-1838
John James Audubon didn't just document birds; he dramatized them. In this plate from his massive 'The Birds of America' project, a jet-black adult Black Tern stands stoically on a rock while a younger, pale-grey companion dives through the clouds above. Audubon was obsessed with showing animals in their natural habitats, a radical idea at the time when most illustrations were stiff and static. This hand-colored engraving, created by Robert Havell based on Audubon's watercolors, captures the species' striking transformation from dark breeding plumage to its lighter autumn look.
- Technique
- Hand-colored engraving
- Material
- Paper
- Dimensions
- 39 3/8 x 26 1/4 inches
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