Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1951-09-23
Ar
National Gallery
Opens Audubon
Show Today
By Florence S. Berrymon

will open this afternoon q spe-
|cial exhibition concentrating
the great American naturalist,
John James Audubon (born 1880
who died 100 years ago. The
larger part of the exhibition is
composed of SO plates from the
Elephant Folio of the Birds of
America" (given to the National
Gallery by Mrs. Walter B. James,
the publication on which Audi
bon's fame rests. Also on display
will be a portrait in oils of Au-
dubon by his son, John Wood
house Audubon, given this year
Ito the National Gallery by the
Avalon Foundation, through the
generosity of Mrs. Ailsa Mellon
Bruce.
Introducing the SO engravings
will be 10 original paintings,
eight by Audubon and two by his
son, of animals and birds. These
were recently presented to the
United States by E. j. L. Hall
Istrom of Sydney, Australia, who
purchased the group last year
from the naturalist'S great-grand-
children, who live in YasS, $50
miles south of Sydney. This ex-
hibition will continue through
October 81,
Two weeks from today October
ID at 4 pm. in the National Gal
Ilery's auditorium, Donald E. Shell
ley, assistant director of the
Reading pa Public Museum
and Art Gallery, will give an
Illustrated lecture on THE Art of
the Naturalist Audubon" free to
the public.
Had ColorfuI Career.
Audubon's life was romantic
and full of incident, ranging from
riches to poverty and back to
comparative comfort. He was
born in Les Cages, Santo Domingo,
the son of a French sea captain
who had fought under De Grasse
in the American Revolution.
Taken to France when a few
years old. young Audubon had a
happy childhood on his fathers
estate. BY the time he was Is.
he had made many original draw
ings Of French birds. After an
unsuccessful year in a military
school, he was placed for a few
months in the studio of David in
Paris.
Still hoping to make him more
industrious, his father sent young
Audubon to his estate near Phila-
ldelphia. called Mill Grove. which
had once belonged to William
Penn. But here. too, the youth
lived a life of luxury, enjoying
society and continuing to study
and draw birds. He also became
Engaged to Lucy Blackwell, the
daughter Of a wealthy English
neighbor.
! Back to France the next year,
he formed a partnership with
Ferdinand RoZier, which continued
in New York city, later in Louis
vile and Henderson. KY. Rozier
applied himself to business, but
Audubon spent all the time he
could manage, in the fields and
woods. Although unsuccessful
financially, he married Lucy and
took her to Kentucky. After his
partnership with Rozier was dis
solved. he tried others with his
Ibrother-in-law and associates,
and eventually wound up in a
debtors prison.
4 R0amed the Forests.
After that disaster. he dedicated
himself to roaming the forests
and drawing birds. Despite the
Iaffiuence of her girlhood. his wife
lovingly shared poverty, long
separations and general uncer-
Itainty. To assist him, she became
a governesS in Louisiana and later
established a school.
Audubon must have tramped
thousands of miles during his
years of studying nature. Some
birds he drew with the aid of a
telescope, others he shot and
arranged Enthusiastically to paint.
About 1920 he conceived the idea
of having his work published and
by 1924, he had raised funds by
portrait painting, tutoring and
other jobs, and went to Philadel-
Iphia, where he was encouraged
by Thomas Sully and C. L. Bona
parte who urged him to seek a
publisher abroad.
Two years later Audubon sailed
for England with his collection of
LOGS original water-color draw
Iings, complete to the last detail.
Several exhibitions in Britain. one
lat the Royal Academy. aroused
much interest. An Edinburgh
engraver, William H. Liars
, started to work on the wild
Turkey" But he gave up after
40 plates and Audubon made an
agreement with a London en-
Igraver, Robert Havell, jr.
The Engraving Task.
This epic association lasted II
years, Havell working magnifi-
Gently through Interruptions,
lchanpeS in h1lsinesS Hnannia