1828
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Summer Red Bird is a 1828 ink by Robert Havell Jr., a Romanticism work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This picture shows three bright birds perched on branches with green leaves and clusters of grapes. The top bird is deep red with a yellow beak, wide open as if singing. Below it, a smaller red bird sits quietly, and a yellow bird with brown streaks rests on the middle branch. The colors pop against the plain background, making the birds and leaves stand out. The artist used careful lines to show each feather and leaf, giving the birds a lifelike look. This style was common in nature prints from the early 1800s, where details mattered more than drama. Next, look up engraving to see how artists like this carved images into metal before coloring them by hand.
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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