Großschnabel-Puffin
1827-1838
John James Audubon wasn't content with boring portraits; he wanted to capture the wild spirit of nature. In this lively scene, a male puffin stands guard on a rocky ledge while his partner executes a perfect, comical dive into the ocean. This plate comes from his massive masterpiece 'The Birds of America,' published in the 1830s. To get these dynamic poses, Audubon famously used wires to arrange freshly killed specimens, freezing them in action. The vibrant orange beaks pop against the cool water, showing off the incredible detail of 19th-century hand-colored engraving.
- Technique
- Hand-colored engraving
- Material
- Paper
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