1829
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Painted Bunting is a 1829 ink by Robert Havell Jr., a Romanticism work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This image shows three bright birds perched on branches with green leaves and small berries. The birds have bold colors—one is mostly green, another has blue and red, and the third mixes orange and blue. Their feathers look smooth, and the branches are drawn with fine lines. The artist used a mix of hand coloring and printing to make the colors pop. The birds are labeled with scientific names, which was common in nature studies back then. Want to know more? Look up engraving to see how artists like this 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
