Little auk
1827-1838
John James Audubon brings the frigid North Atlantic to life in this vibrant plate from his legendary 'Birds of America' folio, capturing the daily grind of seabird survival. Watch closely as the male Little Auk triumphantly surfaces with a wriggling crustacean clamped in his beak, while the female perches stoically on a rocky outcrop against a hazy, mountainous backdrop. Published in the 1830s, these massive hand-colored engravings were so popular that Audubon became a celebrity, proving that scientific illustration could be just as dramatic as a history painting.
- Technique
- Hand-colored engraving
- Material
- Paper
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