1828
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Dominant colour
Red-headed Woodpecker is a 1828 ink by Robert Havell Jr., a Romanticism work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This image shows four red-headed woodpeckers in action. One male is flying with bright red feathers on its head, while others cling to a rough tree trunk. The birds are detailed with sharp beaks and striped wings, and the tree bark looks textured and real. The artist used fine lines and shading to make the feathers and wood look three-dimensional. This kind of careful work was common in scientific illustrations of the time. Next, check out engraving to see how artists like this created such precise 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.
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