Boat-Tailed Grackle
1840
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
About the artist
1840
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Boat-Tailed Grackle is a 1840 ink by John T. Bowen, a Romanticism work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This image shows two birds perched on a branch with green leaves. The bird on top is brown with a long tail, while the one below is shiny black with a glossy look. Both birds are facing slightly different directions, as if caught mid-moment. The label at the bottom names them "Boat-tailed Grackle," with the male on top and the female below. The artist used careful color to show the birds’ details, like the brown streaks on the male’s neck. Look up lithography to see how this print was made.
