1837
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Dominant colour
Arkansaw Siskin, Mealy Red-poll, Louisiana Tanager, Townsend's Finch and Buff-breasted Finch is a 1837 ink by Robert Havell Jr., a Romanticism work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This image shows five brightly colored birds perched on branches and grass. The top left bird is yellow with black wings, while the top right bird has a pink chest and striped head. Below, a brown-and-white bird clings to a branch, and two others—one orange and black, the other yellow—sit on a twig. The background has a soft blue sky and distant hills. Each bird is labeled with its name, like "Louisiana Tanager" or "Townsend’s Finch." The artist used careful lines and colors to make them look real. Try looking up engraving to see how artists like this one made detailed prints.
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
