1830
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
House Wren is a 1830 ink by Robert Havell Jr., a Romanticism work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This image shows three small birds perched on a twisted branch. The biggest bird sits in the center, its feathers a mix of brown and white, while the two smaller ones cling to the sides. The bark looks rough, with bits of moss and tiny details like scales on the branch. The artist used fine lines to show texture, especially on the birds’ feathers and the branch’s bark. This careful attention makes the scene look almost real. Next, check out engraving to see how artists like Havell used metal plates to print these precise images.
The Havell family of Reading, Berkshire, England, included a number of notable engravers, etchers and painters, as well as writers, publishers, educators, and musicians.
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