1835
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
American Coot is a 1835 ink by Robert Havell Jr., a Romanticism work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This bird stands on the edge of a pond, its black body and white head sharp against the water. Tall reeds sway behind it, and the sky peeks faintly through the top. The bird’s long green legs and red eye stand out, and its beak is open as if calling. The artist used fine lines and shading to show the bird’s feathers in detail. This kind of careful drawing was common in nature studies of the time. Want to see more like this? Check out engraving for how artists made prints like this one.
The Havell family of Reading, Berkshire, England, included a number of notable engravers, etchers and painters, as well as writers, publishers, educators, and musicians.
See the richer artist page
