Artwork
Blue Yellow Back Warbler
Blue Yellow Back Warbler is a gouache drawing by the Romanticist artist John James Audubon. It dates from 1812 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
- Inscription
- Inscribed:lower center in pen and brown ink: Blue Yellow Back Warbler A.W. / Sylvia Pusilla / drawn by J.J. Audubon; lower left in pen and brown ink: No. 33; lower left in graphite: May 7th 1812. Pens.a-; other hand, lL //in graphite: Geranium maculatum
- Markings
- Marked:upper left: three letters partly visible
About this work
Overview
Blue Yellow Back Warbler is a drawing created by John James Audubon in 1812, combining watercolor, gouache, and graphite. It exemplifies the artist's dedication to illustrating North American birdlife.
Subject & Meaning
The drawing portrays a small songbird, reflecting Audubon's primary interest in ornithology and his efforts to document North American avifauna.
Technique & Style
Audubon employed a layered technique, overlaying watercolor and gouache over a graphite base, characteristic of his detailed and realistic approach to natural history illustration.
History & Provenance
Originally created in 1812, this work was part of Audubon's body of art later utilized for The Birds of America, though specific provenance details for this piece are not provided.
Context
Produced during Audubon's formative period, Blue Yellow Back Warbler sits within his broader project of systematically illustrating North American birds, preceding the publication of The Birds of America.
Legacy
While not individually renowned, Blue Yellow Back Warbler contributes to Audubon's overarching legacy in ornithological art and the comprehensive documentation of North American bird species.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
John James Audubon (born Jean-Jacques Rabin, April 26, 1785 – January 27, 1851) was a French-American artist, entrepreneur, naturalist, explorer, and ornithologist.
