Red-breasted Snipe

About this work

This is a hand-colored engraving of a red-breasted snipe standing on a rock. The bird’s streaked brown and white feathers contrast sharply with its bright red chest. The artist matched the soft curves of the bird’s body to the hard edges of the rock. Robert Havell Jr. was a master of natural detail. He worked from live specimens, not stuffed birds. His engravings helped popularize American wildlife for British audiences. Check out more of Havell, Jr., Robert’s precise bird studies at the National Gallery of Art, Washington.