1834
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
American Crossbill is a 1834 ink by Robert Havell Jr., a Romanticism work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This picture shows six birds perched on branches with green leaves. The birds have bright colors—red, green, and brown—and some look like they’re talking to each other. The branches twist around in a circle, and the whole scene feels busy but calm. The artist used a mix of etching and hand-painting to make the colors pop. This style was common for studying nature back then. Next, check out engraving to see how artists carved these details into metal.
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
