Black-Backed Gull

About this work

This shows a black-backed gull standing on rocks, wings half-spread. The bird’s dark back and pale breast stand out against muted blues and grays. Fine lines carve the feathers and claws with sharp detail. Robert Havell Jr. made this in 1835 as part of a series of British bird prints. Back then, color printing was new, so each sheet got hand-tinted after the engraving. This copy still glows with its original blues and whites. His smooth cross-hatching makes shadows look soft. See more Havell Jr. prints at the National Gallery of Art, Washington.