Busardo ratonero
1827-1838
John James Audubon captures a moment of high drama here, with a massive hawk—labeled the 'Common Buzzard'—swooping down talons-first toward a terrified rabbit. This print comes from his legendary 'Birds of America' project, a massive undertaking to document every bird species in North America life-size. To get these incredibly dynamic poses, Audubon would often shoot the birds, then use wires and pins to arrange their stiff bodies into lifelike action scenes before painting them. The background even features a little settlement, grounding this predator-prey chase in a specific American landscape.
- Technique
- Hand-colored engraving
- Material
- Paper
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