Great Carolina wren
1827-1838
Perched atop a vibrant spike of red Dwarf Buckeye flowers, a male Carolina Wren throws his head back to belt out a song, while a female rests quietly on the stem below. This dynamic scene comes from John James Audubon’s monumental 'The Birds of America,' a project that took over a decade to complete. Unlike the stiff, profile-view illustrations of his time, Audubon wanted to show birds in action. To get these lifelike poses, he would actually shoot birds and use wires to prop them up in natural positions before sketching them. It’s a beautiful mix of scientific accuracy and dramatic flair.
- Technique
- hand-colored engraving
- Material
- paper