1836
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Red-backed Sandpiper is a 1836 ink by Robert Havell Jr., a Romanticism work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This image shows two birds on a rocky shore. The bird on the left has a plain gray-brown body and a long, straight beak. The one on the right is darker, with reddish-brown feathers and a speckled chest. Both stand near shells and pebbles, with mountains and water in the background. The artist labeled the birds as summer and winter plumage, showing how their looks change with seasons. This kind of detail was important for scientists studying nature at the time. Next, look up engraving to see how artists like this one used metal plates to print detailed 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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