1827
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Dominant colour
Purple Martin is a 1827 ink by Robert Havell Jr., a Romanticism work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This image shows four purple martins—three perched and one flying—around a gourd-shaped nest. The birds are bright blue, gray, and black, with careful details in their feathers and beaks. The nest hangs from a curved branch, and the background is plain white, letting the colors pop. The artist used fine lines and shading to make the birds look real, especially the feathers and the nest’s texture. This was part of a book showing birds in their natural settings. Next, check out how this was made using engraving.
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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