Red-winged Starling, Female Red-winged Starling, Black-poll Warbler, and Lesser Red-poll
1811
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1811
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This image shows four birds drawn with careful detail. The top bird has glossy black feathers and bright red patches on its wings. Below it, two speckled birds perch on a branch, and a small, round-bodied bird with a red patch on its head sits on the ground. The background is plain, keeping focus on the birds’ colors and shapes. The artist used hand-colored ink to highlight each bird’s unique markings. The labels at the bottom name each species, showing how artists studied nature closely in this era. Next, check out etching to see how this printmaking technique works.
