Pavoncella dorata
1827-1838
John James Audubon didn't just paint birds; he wanted to capture them in their most dramatic, lifelike moments. For this plate from his massive project 'The Birds of America', he shows the Golden Plover in three distinct poses—standing tall, soaring through the air, and skimming the ground—highlighting its stunning golden-spotted summer plumage versus its duller winter look. Audubon famously shot and wired his bird models into these dynamic positions because he thought traditional stiff portraits were boring. This specific print was engraved and hand-colored by Robert Havell in 1835, part of a 'double-elephant folio' that is now one of the most expensive books in the world.
- Technique
- Hand-colored aquatint engraving
- Material
- Paper
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