Great white heron
1827-1838
Audubon wasn't content with stiff, stuffed birds; he wanted to show nature in action. Here, a majestic Great White Heron stands triumphantly on a sandy shore, a freshly caught pink fish dangling from its massive yellow beak. The bird's elegant, flowing feathers contrast sharply with the stormy, dark blue sky behind it, while a quiet coastal town sits in the distance. To create these incredibly lifelike scenes for his famous book, *The Birds of America*, Audubon actually shot his bird models, wired them into dynamic poses, and then painted them.
- Technique
- Hand-colored engraving
- Material
- Paper
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