John James Audubon Biography John James Audubon Biography Famous Names in Art - A John James Audubon Biography John James Audubon (American, b. Haiti, 1785-1851). Robert Havell (American, 1793-1878), Engraver after John James Audubon. American Flamingo, 1838. From The Birds of America (plate CCCCXXX1). Hand-colored etching and aquatint on Whatman paper. Image courtesy of the Board of Trustees, National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C. By Shelley Esaak The Basics: The word "Audubon" has long been synonymous with anything related to the creatures of flight. And it's all because of this artist. John James Audubon was a French-American naturalist and painter. He is best known for his study and illustrations of birds in their natural habitats. Early Life: Audubon was born Jean Rabine on April 26, 1785 in Les Cayes, Santo Domingo (modern Haiti).

He was the illegitimate offspring of French sea captain Lieutenant Jean Audubon and Spanish–Creole chambermaid Jeanne Rabine, the latter of whom was killed in a slave uprising a few months after her son's birth. Lieutenant Audubon brought three year old Jean back to France in 1788 and, along with his new (and legitimate) wife, formally adopted the boy. Jean Rabine then became Jean-Jacques Fougère Audubon. On the heels of a childhood spent largely outdoors in the countryside near Nantes, it is believed that Audubon went to Paris sometime before 1802 to train as an artist. continue reading below our video What are the Seven Wonders of the World He later claimed that Jacques-Louis David had been one of his teachers, although there is no surviving record of such. Whatever training he did (or didn't) receive was short-lived. In 1803 Jean Audubon sent his son to America for two reasons. (1) Ostensibly, he'd purchased an estate near Philadelphia that needed overseeing and, (2) primarily, the youth had turned 18 and was due at any moment to be conscripted into Napoleon's army.

It was after his move to American that he became known as "John James Laforest Audubon." His Art: At the Mill Grove, Pennsylvania estate, Audubon met the great passions of his life: American birds and his neighbor's daughter, Lucy Bakewell (whom he married in 1808). He began collecting all things ornithological and making pencil and pastel sketches of birds. As his confidence as an artist grew, he ventured into watercolors -- the medium he would most often employ for the rest of his career. It quickly became evident that Audubon was ill-suited to oversee an estate or, indeed, much of anything that kept him away from the study of birds. He would go on to try his hand at several other business ventures, all of which failed. Audubon largely became a traveling artist, teaching occasional pupils, but always painting local birds and their natural habitats. After finally declaring bankruptcy in 1819, his only goal in life became to publish a folio of his bird paintings. Interestingly, he had to take his work to London in order to make the book Birds of America a success in America.

Audubon is best known today for his highly dramatic bird and animal watercolors (along with around 70 oil canvases), as well as the National Audubon Society (formed in 1886) named in his honor. Audubon died on January 27, 1851 in New York City. Important Works: The Birds of America, 1827-38; the original, "double elephant" folios The Ornithological Biographies, 1831–38 (text complementing Birds...) The Viviparous Quadrupeds of North America, 1845-48 Famous Quote: "I am at work, and have done much, but I wish I had eight pairs of hands and another body to shoot the specimens." -- from a letter dated October 11, 1829 Sources and Further Reading: Audubon, John James, and Lucy Audubon (ed.). The Life of John James Audubon, the Naturalist New York : G. P. Putnam & Son, 1869. Reynolds, Gary A. (ed.) John James Audubon and his Sons (exh. cat.).

New York : Grey Art Gallery and Study Center, 1982. Rodgers, David. "Audubon, John James" The Oxford Companion to Western Art. Ed. Hugh Brigstocke. Oxford University Press, 2001. John James Audubon's Birds of America | Audubon John James Audubon's Birds of America John J. Audubon’s Birds of America Photo: Susie Cushner The life’s work of both a lover and observer of birds and nature. John James Audubon's Birds of America is a portal into the natural world. Printed between 1827 and 1838, it contains 435 life-sized watercolours of North American birds (Havell edition), all reproduced from hand-engraved plates, and is considered to be the archetype of wildlife illustration. Nearly 200 years later, the Audubon prints are coming to life once again, thanks to our vibrant digital library. Roam around below and enjoy one of the most treasured pieces of Audubon's grand and wild legacy. Each print is also available as a free high-resolution download.

The images in our collection are provided courtesy of the John James Audubon Center at Mill Grove in Audubon, Pennsylvania, and the Montgomery County Audubon Collection. Learn more about the John James Audubon Center . John James Audubon | American artist | Britannica.com John James Audubon Alternative Titles: Fougère Rabin, Jean-Jacques Fougère Audubon John James Audubon Maria Martin John James Audubon, original name Fougère Rabin, orJean Rabin, baptismal name Jean-Jacques Fougère Audubon (born April 26, 1785, Les Cayes , Saint-Domingue, West Indies [now in Haiti]—died Jan. 27, 1851, New York , N.Y., U.S.), ornithologist, artist, and naturalist who became particularly well known for his drawings and paintings of North American birds.

Audubon, detail of a portrait by his sons John and Victor, late 1840s; in the American Museum of … Courtesy of the American Museum of Natural History, New York The illegitimate son of a French merchant, planter, and slave trader and a Creole woman of Saint-Domingue, Audubon and his illegitimate half sister (who was also born in the West Indies) were legalized by adoption in 1794, five years after their father returned to France . Young Audubon developed an interest in drawing birds during his boyhood in France. At age 18 he was sent to the United States in order to avoid conscription and to enter business. He began his study of North American birds at that time; this study would eventually lead him from Florida to Labrador , Can. With Frederick Rozier, Audubon attempted to operate a mine and then a general store . The latter venture they attempted first in Louisville , Ky., and later in Henderson, Ky., but the partnership was dissolved after they failed utterly. Audubon then attempted some business ventures in partnership with his brother-in-law; these too failed.

By 1820 he had begun to take what jobs he could to provide a living and to concentrate on his steadily growing interest in drawing birds; he worked for a time as a taxidermist and later made portraits and taught drawing, and his wife worked as a governess. By 1824 he had begun to consider publication of his bird drawings, but he was advised to seek a publisher in Europe, where he would find better engravers and greater interest in his subject. In 1826 he went to Europe in search of patrons and a publisher. He was well received in Edinburgh and, after the king subscribed to his books, in London as well. The engraver Robert Havell of London undertook publication of his illustrations as The Birds of America , 4 vol. (435 hand-coloured plates, 1827–38). William MacGillivray helped write the accompanying text, Ornithological Biography, 5 vol. (octavo, 1831–39), and A Synopsis of the Birds of North America (1839), which serves as an index.

Until 1839 Audubon divided his time between Europe and the United States, gathering material, completing illustrations, and financing publication through subscription. His reputation established, Audubon then settled in New York City and prepared a smaller edition of his Birds of America, 7 vol. (octavo, 1840–44), and a new work, Viviparous Quadrupeds of North America, 3 vol. (150 plates, 1845–48), and the accompanying text (3 vol., 1846–53), completed with the aid of his sons and the naturalist John Bachman . John James Audubon. Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. Great auk (Pinguinus impennis), hand-coloured engraving by John James Audubon and … © The Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia/Corbis Britannica Stories John James Audubon Biography - Childhood, Life Achievements & Timeline Miscellaneous John James Audubon Biography A great painter and ornithologist, John James Audubon was a detailed illustrator of birds. John James Audubon biography trails the artistâs journey of failure and success.

Quick Facts John Woodhouse Audubon Image Credit John James Audubon, also known as Jean-Jacques Audobon, was one of the major contributors of masterpieces to American art. With an avid interest in birds and drawing right from his childhood days, Audubon went on to be the most distinguished illustrator of the 19th century. Venturing into nature and observing and exploring different American birds, he documented the species so meticulously in his books. His books âThe Birds of North Americaâ is believed to be one of the finest contributions to ornithology and art. From trying out his hand at a number of business ventures to following his heart to birds and nature, Audubon had quite an eventful life. From being born in Haiti to travelling to France, America and England, he most certainly excelled at what he was best at. With the passion, a dream and a vision John James Audubon put all his efforts including many years into the compilations of his books and eventually saw a lot of success and honor. His detailed biography gives an insight into the overwhelming and inspiring life story of this artist.

John James Audubon’s Childhood And Early Life An illegitimate son of a French Naval Captain, Lieutenant Jean Audubon and a domestic servant Jeanne Rabine, from Les Touches, France, John James Audubon was born on April 26, 1785 in the French Colony Saint-Dominigue. Audubon’s mother passed away when he was just a few months old and was brought up by his father's another mistress Sanitte. In 1788, when John James Audobon was just four years old, he was sent to Nantes, France where he and his stepsister Rose, (from Jean Audubon’s mistress) were raised by Jean Audubon’s legal wife Anne Moynet Audubon. Jean and his wife formally adopted John in order to legalize his status. While in France, John learned to play the flute and violin and learned to ride, fence, and dance. John was adventurous and he loved exploring the woods. He watched the birds and collected things from nature and made rough drawings. Although John James father wanted him to have a career in naval, John soon realized that he was prone to seasickness and wasn’t good at mathematics and navigation either.

Growing Years When John Audubon was 18 years old, his father sent him to the United States to avoid him being a part of Napoleon’s army. Originally named Jean Jacques, on the arrival to America, he changed his name to John James to sound more American. Jean Audobon had set up a business for his son in Pennsylvania, and he moved to Mill Grove in Pennsylvania to his family farm. While in Mill Grove, he stayed in a two-storey stone house and completely explored and enjoyed the nature of the place. His father actually wanted John to work towards commercially developing the lead mines as it was vital for bullets. He had considered this a proposed occupation for him. He, however, spent a lot of time with his neighbor William Bakewell’s daughter Lucy exploring the areas around him and indulging in common interests. Audubon studied American birds and he came up with the technique of bird banding, which helped him to study the same birds, longevity, migration and other patterns of life. Audubon then visited France in 1805 to meet his father and ask his permission to marry Lucy.

During this trip, he also improved his taxidermy skills with the help of the naturalist and physician Charles-Marie D'Orbigny. After his return to the United States, Audubon resumed his bird studies. He even commenced his own nature museum and he had become a specialist with taxidermy and the preparation of specimens. William Bakewell, Lucy’s father wasn’t ready to get his daughter married to Audubon until he was settled and ready to support a family. So, John travelled to New York with the hope of learning the import-export trade and settling a business to support his wife in the future. In 1805, Audubon started a general store in Louisville, Kentucky near the Ohio River. Due to the tensions concerning British trade, the business didn’t do too well. Therefore, in 1810, Audubon shifted his business to Henderson, Kentucky, as this was a less competitive place. While in Henderson, he often resorted to fishing and hunting to feed his family, as he wasn’t receiving adequate returns from his business. During his hunting expeditions, he observed and drew specimens and learned techniques of hunting.

Audubon had started all these businesses in partnership with Rozier, and after dissolving his partnership with him, Audubon collaborated with his brother in law. He bought land, slaves and a flour mill and started his mill business. But due to the “Panic of 1819”, this business too failed. Audubon was in serious financial trouble and was thrown into jail for charges of debt. This was an end to Audubon’s business career. Later Life Audubon moved to Cincinnati and worked as a taxidermist in the Western museum. After this short stay at Cincinnati, John was determined to find and paint all the birds of North America. He wanted his work to better than that of the poet and naturalist Alexander Wilson’s. In late 1820, Audubon set out to the Ohio and Mississippi rivers and explored the countryside for birds. He travelled with the Swiss Landscape artist George Lehman in search of ornithological specimens. He met his expenses by painting portraits of people and charging an amount of $5 for every, and also taught painting to a few students. For instance, while at the Oakley Plantation he taught Eliza Pirrie, one of the owners daughter, painting.

In 1823, Audubon took oil painting lessons from John Steen, a teacher of American landscape and history painter Thomas Cole. Although a lot of oil work wasn’t involved in his paintings of birds, he used the oil technique to create portraits along the Mississippi and earn some money out of it. While Audubon was focusing on his drawing, his independent wife Lucy was the breadwinner of the family. A trained teacher, she gave lessons to children both in and out of her home. She became a teacher in Louisiana and resided in wealthy plantation owners home. Audubon returned to Philadelphia in 1824 and was on a hunt for a publisher for his drawings. He was met with opposition from many publishers in America. Some of the scientists at the Academy of Natural Sciences even expressed rivalry towards him. The artist then met Charles Bonaparte, a famous French naturalist and ornithologist himself. He persuaded Audubon to go to England and publish his work there. In 1826, at the age of 41, Audubon decided to leave for Europe and he set out from New Orleans to land in Liverpool.

Audubon was received with great acceptance and he was called the “American Woodsman”. As he toured England and Scotland, he raised enough money to start publishing his work. His work on “Birds of America” consisted of images of around 700 species of North America. While in London, he signed up subscribers for his volumes and reached a final agreement with a publisher in London. By 1827, volumes of “Birds of America” were already being published and it took a good 11 years for all the volumes to be published. In 1829, Audubon returned to America and added more drawings to his collection. Audubon also hunted animals and sent the skins back to his British friends. The success of “Birds of America” brought him immediate fame as the book was as close to nature as possible. He was elected to be a fellow at the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1930 too. Audubon’s ornithological endeavors didn’t end here, but he started working on his sequel “Ornithological Biographies.” Along with the Scottish ornithologist William MacGillivray, Audubon went about compiling the history of each species.

Both the books were printed separately to avoid any kind of complications regarding the British law and copying of publications. By 1939, both of his books were published and Audubon returned to America to create a miniature version of his book. With collaboration with John Bachman, he started work on his drawing with his sons contributing to it too. With all the money Audubon had earned from publishing his books, he bought an estate on the Hudson River. The romantic image of an American woodsman who was a great lover of birds began to emerge after his move to the estate. And Audubon put in significant effort on the octave edition of “Birds of America” as he planned to leave behind a considerable amount of income for his family. Personal Life Audubon met Lucy Bakewell in 1804 who was the neighboring estate owner’s daughter in Mill Grove. They shared many common interests and spent a lot of time exploring the nature around them. Audubon married Lucy in 1808, six months after arriving in Kentucky. Although the couple wasn’t very financially stable, they started a family and had two sons, Victor Gifford and John Woodhouse Audubon.

They also had two daughters Lucy and Rose who passed away at 2 years and 9 months respectively. Both sons of Audubon helped him in publishing his work and John Woodhouse actually went to become a naturalist and painter himself. Death And Legacy While on his excursions to the West to observe Western species, Audubon’s health began to deteriorate. He became quite senile by 1848 and suffered a stroke that year. His eyesight had failed and his project on mammals, “Viviparous Quadrupeds of North America” was taken over by John Woodhouse. Audubon passed away in his home on January 27, 1851 and he was buried in the graveyard of the Church of Intercession in Minnie’s land, a 30 acre estate he had purchased in Manhattan. In Audubons honor, a monument was constructed at the center of the cemetery. Awards And Recognition Elected to the Royal Society of Edinburgh, the Linnaean Society, and the Royal Society for his contributions. The farmhouse in Mill Grove contains a museum displaying all his major works.

The Audubon Museum at John James Audubon State Park in Henderson, Kentucky has displays of many of his watercolors, oils, engraves and other memorable. The National Audubon Society was commenced in his honor to conserve and restore natural ecosystems, focusing on birds. He was honored with a great American Series 22cent postage stamp. A copy of “Birds of America” was auctioned at Sotheby auction house for $11.5 million. JOHN JAMES AUDUBON TIMELINE Born in Les Cayes, Saint-Domingue on 26 April 1785 1788 : Sent to Nantes, France to his father's legal wife 1803 : To avoid being a part of Napoleons army, he left France for the United States.

1807 : Set up a general store in Louisville, Kentucky 1808 : Married Lucy Bakewell and moves to Louisville with her 1809 : Their son, Victor Gifford born 1810 : Moved to Henderson, Kentucky with family 1812 : Their secondson, John Woodhouse born 1815 : Explorer, Naturalist, Artist: John James Audubon and The Birds of America | Nevada Museum of Art John James Audubon and The Birds of America December 20, 2014 - February 15, 2015 Feature Gallery North In the first decades of the nineteenth century John James Audubon created one of the greatest and most famous bodies of North American bird art known today. His more than fifty years of artistic production—consisting of paintings, drawings, prints, and writings—resulted in the body of work for which he became most famous: The Birds of America, Audubon’s unparalleled effort to catalog and describe artistically and scientifically the birds of the North American continent.

Audubon’s enormous undertaking began with the creation of more than five hundred watercolor paintings—the basis for a later edition of double elephant folio of prints called The Birds of America, made by the London engravers Robert Havell, Jr. and Sr. between 1826 and 1838. In 1863, at the height of the Civil War and a little more than a decade after her husband’s death, Lucy Bakewell Audubon, the artist’s widow, sold her family’s personal collection of 471 surviving original watercolor paintings to the New York Historical Society. Of these, 435 were paintings Audubon made in preparation for The Birds of America. Born Jean Rabin in Saint-Domingue (now Haiti) in 1785, the son of a French naval officer and his mistress, he adopted the name John James Audubon when he immigrated to the still-fledgling United States in 1803 at the age of eighteen, avoiding conscription in the Napoleonic wars.

Largely self-taught as both an artist and an ornithologist, the paintings from which the prints in this exhibition derive were renowned for their scale and for their inclusion of ornithological information about bird habitats and behaviors, a practice that was both controversial and revolutionary for the time. Having made many long and difficult excursions through much of frontier America to collect specimens and record them for his project, by the mid-1840s, Audubon’s deteriorating health confined him to his home on New York’s Hudson River. Audubon died there in 1851, at the age of 65, leaving behind the remarkable body of work for which he is remembered. All of the prints on view in this exhibition are drawn from the collection of the Nevada Museum of Art. They were purchased with funds in memory of Dana Rose Richardson. Famous Floridians: John James Audubon Famous Floridians: John James Audubon Although he did not have a home in Florida, John James Audubon spent time here. He captured the birds and wildlife of Florida through his realistic art. He is famous as an American naturalist, ornithologist,* and artist.

The National Audubon Society was founded in his honor. Audubon was born in Santo Domingo, now the capital of the Dominican Republic. He grew up in France, where his stepmother encouraged his interests in drawing and the outdoors. His father sent him to the U.S. in 1803 to avoid Napoleons draft into the French army. In 1820, Audubon began his book, The Birds of America. It became a masterpiece. From then on, he devoted most of his time to the study of natural history, especially to making drawings of American birds. Audubon traveled in search of birds to paint. His first expedition to the east coast of Florida was to find water birds and tropical species. Audubons group arrived in St. Augustine in 1831. For almost six months, they hunted birds in northeast Florida. They visited plantations and explored the Halifax and St. Johns Rivers. Audubons next trip to Florida was from Charleston aboard a type of boat called a cutter. Five days later it passed the Cape Florida Light and ultimately arrived at Indian Key in the Florida Keys. Audubon remained for a week.

While there, he hired James Egan, a Bahamian who had lived on the Miami River for about 30 years, as a guide. With Egan as his guide, Audubon explored Florida Bay, including Sandy Key, a rookery near Cape Sable. Audubon wrote this about the experience:  seldom have I experienced greater pleasures than when on the Florida Keys, under a burning sun, after pushing my bark for miles over a soapy flat, I have striven all day long, tormented by myriads of insects, to procure a heron new to me, and have at length succeeded in my efforts. The expedition reached Key West several weeks later. After about a week in Key West, Audubon sailed to the Dry Tortugas. While there, he drew tropical birds. His timing was excellent because the birds were nesting. Audubon returned to Charleston, again on the cutter. He went by way of Key West with a stop at Indian Key. Audubon was so pleased with his Florida expedition that he planned to return in 1837 to explore the west coast. The outbreak of the Second Seminole War, however, made Florida much too dangerous a destination.

He briefly visited Pensacola, but was unsuccessful in arranging for transportation east and south. The original version of The Birds of America included 435 prints showing 1065 birds. Audubon, with a Scottish naturalist, wrote a companion volume, The Ornithological Biography. This book described the characters and habits of the birds he had painted. Between 1840 and 1844, the two books were combined with the drawings reduced in size. Again called The Birds of America, this work took seven volumes. Audubons bird prints have been reproduced many times. His Florida birds are among the favorites. * Person who studies birds John James Audubon - Biography of Painter and Naturalist John James Audubon Audubon's "Birds of America" Was a Landmark Work of Art John James Audubon. Getty Images By Robert McNamara Updated February 01, 2016. John James Audubon created a masterpiece of American art, a collection of paintings titled Birds of America published in a series of four enormous volumes from 1827 to 1838.

Besides being a remarkable painter, Audubon was a great naturalist, and his visual art and writing helped inspire the conservation movement . Early Life of James John Audubon Audubon was born as Jean-Jacques Audubon on April 26, 1785 in the French colony of Santo Domingo, the illegitimate son of a French naval officer and a French servant girl. After the death of his mother, and a rebellion in Santo Domingo, which became the nation of Haiti , Audubon's father took Jean-Jacques and a sister to live in France. Audubon Settled in America In France, Audubon neglected formal studies to spend time in nature, often observing birds. In 1803, when his father became worried that his son would be conscripted into Napoleon's army, Audubon was sent to America. His father had purchased a farm outside Philadelphia, and the 18-year-old Audubon was sent to live on the farm.

continue reading below our video 4 Tips for Improving Test Performance Adopting the Americanized name John James, Audubon adapted to America and lived as a country gentleman, hunting, fishing, and indulging in his passion for observing birds. He became engaged to the daughter of a British neighbor, and soon after marrying Lucy Bakewell the young couple left the Audubon farm to venture into the American frontier. Audubon Failed in Business in America Audubon tried his luck at various endeavors in Ohio and Kentucky, and discovered that he was not suited for a life of business. He later observed that he spent too much time looking at birds to worry about more practical matters. Audubon devoted considerable time to ventures into the wilderness on which he would shoot birds so he could study and draw them. A sawmill business Audubon ran in Kentucky failed in 1819, partly due to the widespread financial crisis known as the Panic of 1819 . Aubudon found himself in serious financial trouble, with a wife and two young sons to support. He was able to find some work in Cincinnati doing crayon portraits, and his wife found work as a teacher.

Audubon traveled down the Mississippi River to New Orleans, and was soon followed by his wife and sons. His wife found employment as a teacher and governess, and while Audubon devoted himself to what he saw as his true calling, the painting of birds, his wife managed to support the family. A Publisher Was Found In England After failing to interest any American publishers in his ambitious plan to publish a book of paintings of American birds, Audubon sailed to England in 1826. Landing in Liverpool, he managed to impress influential English editors with his portfolio of paintings. Audubon came to be highly regarded in British society as a natural unschooled genius. With his long hair and rough American clothes, he became something of a celebrity. And for his artistic talent and great knowledge of birds he was named a fellow of the Royal Society, Britain's leading scientific academy. Audubon eventually met up with an engraver in London, Robert Havell, who agreed to work with him to publish Birds of America. The resulting book, which became known as the "double elephant folio" edition for the immense size of its pages, was one of the largest books ever published.

Each page measured 39.5 inches tall by 29.5 inches wide, so when the book was opened it was more than four feet wide by three feet tall. To produce the book, Audubon's images were etched on copper plates, and the resulting printed sheets were colored by artists to match Audubon's original paintings. Birds of America Was a Success During the production of the book Audubon returned to the United States twice to collect more bird specimens and sell subscriptions for the book. Eventually the book was sold to 161 subscribers, who paid $1,000 for what eventually became four volumes. In total, Birds of America contained 435 pages featuring more than 1,000 individual paintings of birds. After the lavish double elephant folio edition was finished, Audubon produced a smaller and much more affordable edition which sold very well and brought Audubon and his family a very good income. Audubon Lived Along the Hudson River With the success of Birds of America, Audubon purchased a 14-acre estate along the Hudson River north of New York City .

He also wrote a book titled Ornithological Biography containing detailed notes and descriptions about the birds which appeared in Birds of America. Ornithological Biography was another ambitious project, eventually stretching into five volumes. It contained not only material on birds but accounts of Audubon's many travels on the American frontier. He recounted stories about meetings with such characters as an escaped slave and the famed frontiersman Daniel Boone. Audubon Painted Other American Animals In 1843 Audubon set off on his last great expedition, visiting the western territories of the United States so he could paint American mammals. He traveled from St. Louis to the Dakota territory in the company of buffalo hunters, and wrote a book which became known as the Missouri Journal. Returning to the east, Audubon's health began to decline, and he died at his estate on the Hudson on January 27, 1851. Audubon's widow sold his original paintings for Birds of America to the New York Historical Society for $2,000. His work has remained popular, having been published in countless books and as prints.

The paintings and writings of John James Audubon helped inspire the conservation movement, and one of the foremost conservation groups, The Audubon Society , was named in his honor. Editions of Birds of America remain in print to this day, and original copies of the double elephant folio fetch high prices on the art market. Sets of the original edition of Birds of America have sold for as much as $8 million. John James Audubon | Audubon John James Audubon The American Woodsman: Our Namesake and Inspiration John James Audubon. Painting: John Syme courtesy of White House Historical Association John James Audubon (1785-1851) was not the first person to attempt to paint and describe all the birds of America (Alexander Wilson has that distinction), but for half a century he was the young country’s dominant wildlife artist. His seminal Birds of America, a collection of 435 life-size prints, quickly eclipsed Wilson’s work and is still a standard against which 20th and 21st century bird artists, such as Roger Tory Peterson and David Sibley, are measured.

Although Audubon had no role in the organization that bears his name, there is a connection: George Bird Grinnell, one of the founders of the early Audubon Society in the late 1800s, was tutored by Lucy Audubon, John James’s widow. Knowing Audubon’s reputation, Grinnell chose his name as the inspiration for the organization’s earliest work to protect birds and their habitats. Today, the name Audubon remains synonymous with birds and bird conservation all over the world. Audubon was born in Saint Domingue (now Haiti), the illegitimate son of a French sea captain and plantation owner and his French mistress. Early on, he was raised by his stepmother, Mrs. Audubon, in Nantes, France, and took a lively interest in birds, nature, drawing, and music. In 1803, at the age of 18, he was sent to America, in part to escape conscription into the Emperor Napoleon’s army. He lived on the family-owned estate at Mill Grove, near Philadelphia, where he hunted, studied, and drew birds, and met his wife, Lucy Bakewell.

While there, he conducted the first known bird-banding experiment in North America, tying strings around the legs of Eastern Phoebes; he learned that the birds returned to the very same nesting sites each year. Audubon spent more than a decade as a businessman, eventually traveling down the Ohio River to western Kentucky—then the frontier—and setting up a dry-goods store in Henderson. He continued to draw birds as a hobby, amassing an impressive portfolio. While in Kentucky, Lucy gave birth to two sons, Victor Gifford and John Woodhouse, as well as a daughter who died in infancy. Audubon was quite successful in business for a while, but hard times hit, and in 1819 he was briefly jailed for bankruptcy. With no other prospects, Audubon set off on his epic quest to depict America’s avifauna, with nothing but his gun, artist’s materials, and a young assistant. Floating down the Mississippi, he lived a rugged hand-to-mouth existence in the South while Lucy earned money as a tutor to wealthy plantation families. In 1826, he sailed with his partly finished collection to England. The American Woodsman was literally an overnight success.

His life-size, highly dramatic bird portraits, along with his embellished descriptions of wilderness life, hit just the right note at the height of the Continent’s Romantic era. Audubon found a printer for the Birds of America, first in Edinburgh, then London, and later collaborated with the Scottish ornithologist William MacGillivray on the Ornithological Biographies—life histories of each of the species in the work. The last print was issued in 1838, by which time Audubon had achieved fame and a modest degree of comfort, traveled the country several more times in search of birds, and settled in New York City. He made one more trip out West in 1843, the basis for his final work of mammals, the Viviparous Quadrupeds of North America, which was largely completed by his sons and the text of which was written by his long-time friend, the Lutheran pastor John Bachman (whose daughters married Audubon’s sons). Audubon spent his last years in senility and died at age 65. He is buried in the Trinity Cemetery at 155th Street and Broadway in New York City.

Audubon’s story is one of triumph over adversity; his accomplishment is destined for the ages. He encapsulates the spirit of young America, when the wilderness was limitless and beguiling. He was a person of legendary strength and endurance, as well as a keen observer of birds and nature. Like his peers, he was an avid hunter, and he also had a deep appreciation and concern for conservation; in his later writings he sounded the alarm about destruction of birds and habitats. It is fitting that today we carry his name and legacy into the future. See Audubon’s Famous Birds Like Never Before | WIRED Time of Publication: 2:20 pm. 2:20 pm See Audubon’s Famous Birds Like Never Before The avian visions of John James Audubon, America's finest wildlife artist, are coming to life as never before. On display now through May 19 at the New York Historical Society is the first of three installations in Audubon's Aviary: The Complete Flock , the society's unprecedented exhibition of 474 paintings.

Most are so-called preparatory watercolors, the drafts Audubon made while working towards The Birds of America, the famed series of hand-colored, life-sized engravings that would make his name synonymous with the winged world. The watercolors were purchased by the Society in 1863 from Audubon's wife Lucy, and are usually kept in storage, hidden from light that could disturb their delicate pigments. They've never been gathered in one place for public display. Also on display are some of Audubon's earliest paintings, which were only recently discovered and have never been seen in the United States. As a multimedia bonus, some paintings are accompanied by birdsong recorded -- or, in the case of the extinct Carolina parakeet and ivory-billed woodpecker, reconstructed -- by the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology. On the following pages, exhibition curator Roberta Olson takes Wired readers on a tour. Above: Carolina Parakeet One little-appreciated aspect of Audubon's work is his technical virtuosity, said Olson. "He'd stain, wet the pastels, put the watercolor on top of it, then outline every vein and barbule of a feather," she said.

"For the Carolina parakeets, you get the idea of these birds calling out to you and flying in your face. When you turn the watercolor, they sparkle. They are alive." Image: Carolina Parakeet (Conuropsis carolinensis), Study for Havell pl. 26, ca. 1825. Watercolor, graphite, pastel, gouache, and black ink with scraping and selective glazing on paper, laid on card; 29 3/4 x 21 1/4 in. Courtesy of the New York Historical Society. Northern Mockingbird Apart from giving viewers a richer sense of the birds, the exhibition's audio is intended to emphasize "just how cinematic Audubon was," said Olson. "His birds are not just posed in pharaonic profile. They're moving." Image: Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos), Study for Havell pl. 21, ca. 1825. Watercolor, graphite, pastel, black chalk, gouache, and black ink with touches of scratching out and selective glazing on paper, laid on card; 29 3/4 x 20 7/8 in.

Courtesy of the New York Historical Society. Great Egret Image: Great Egret (Ardea alba), 1821. Watercolor, graphite, pastel, gouache, white lead pigment, black ink, and black chalk with selective glazing on paper, laid on card; 37 7/16 x 25 9/16 in. Courtesy of the New York Historical Society. Yellow-breasted Chat Image: Yellow-Breasted Chat (Icteria virens), Study for Havell pl. 137, 1829. Watercolor, graphite, pastel, black chalk, gouache, white lead pigment, and black ink with selective glazing on paper, laid on card; 29 5/16 x 21 1/16 in. Courtesy of the New York Historical Society. Great Crested Flycatcher Audubon's style is so historically influential that it's easy to overlook how conceptually adventurous it was in his day, when stiffly-posed taxonomic illustrations and depictions of dead game were customary. "He wanted to tell stories," Olson said.

"He wanted his birds to live." Image: Great Crested Flycatcher (Myiarchus crinitus), Study for Havell pl. 129, ca. 1824. Watercolor, graphite, pastel, and black chalk with touches of black ink and gouache, and selective glazing on paper, laid on card; 18 5/8 x 11 1/2 in. Courtesy of the New York Historical Society. Hoopoe Audubon painted this hoopoe in 1805, just two years after emigrating from France at the age of eighteen. It was discovered in the 1990s at the Muséum d’Histoire Naturelle in La Rochelle, France. In it, Audubon is not yet working with watercolor, but experimenting with graphite and pastels. "He chose pastel at the beginning. They were out of favor at the time, but he liked the fact that it had the texture of feathers," Olson said. Image: Hoopoe (Huppe fasciée), 1805–06.

Pastel and graphite on paper; 11 13/16 x 7 7/8 in. Courtesy of the New York Historical Society. Northern Bobwhite The engravings in Birds of America were not printed all at once, but delivered to subscribers in batches of five -- one large-sized illustration, such as this depiction of northern bobwhites attacked by a red-shouldered hawk, one medium-sized, and three small -- between 1827 and 1838. That unusual method of distribution, something like a 19th-century Kickstarter arrangement, was a product of Audubon's economic circumstances. Remembered now as a great artist, Audubon when he started the project was a down-on-his-luck former shopkeeper and portrait-painter, an immigrant who loved birds and dreamed of making life-sized paintings of every species in his new homeland, but didn't have the money. To make this possible, Audubon became as devoted a marketer and self-promoter as he was an artist. "He self-financed this whole enterprise. Had no institutional backing," said Olson. "He went out and did it." For several years he toured England, charming potential investors and playing up his frontier background.

Said Olson, "He'd be dressed in buckskin and bear grease, and would be the command performance after dinner parties." Image: Northern Bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) and Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus), Study for Havell pl. 76, ca. 1825. Watercolor, pastel, graphite, black ink, oil, gouache, black chalk, collage, and outlining with a stylus, with selective glazing on paper, laid on card; 25 13/16 x 39 3/8 in. Courtesy of the New York Historical Society. Snowy Owl Like the northern bobwhite, this snowy owl originally came as a large-sized print nearly 40 inches high, using what was known as double-elephant-folio paper. It was the largest format available in the early 19th century, and added considerably to Audubon's costs, but he insisted on using it. His life-sized ambitions couldn't be realized on anything smaller. Image: nowy Owl (Bubo scandiacus), Study for Havell pl.

121, 1829 Watercolor, graphite, pastel, and black ink with touches of glazing on paper, laid on card; 38 x 25 11/16 in. Courtesy of the New York Historical Society. Tufted Titmouse Image: Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor), Study for Havell pl. 39, 1822. Watercolor, graphite, gouache, and black ink with touches of black chalk and glazing on paper, laid on card; 18 5/8 x 11 11/16 in. Courtesy of the New York Historical Society. Tree Swallow Audubon's experimentalism is underappreciated; largely self-taught as a painter, he "always pushed the envelope in his media," Olson said. Images like this now seem classical, but they predated the collage techniques of Picasso and Braques by nearly a century. Image: Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor), Study for Havell pl. 98; sketches of an egg and a feather, 1824.

Watercolor, graphite, gouache, pastel, black chalk, and black ink with selective glazing on paper, laid on card; 18 15/16 x 11 13/16 in. Courtesy of the New York Historical Society. Barn Owl Another of Audubon's early paintings discovered in La Rochelle, the pose of this barn owl presages his mature work's extremely realistic depictions, at which he arrived through extensive field observations. As much as any naturalist, Audubon came to know the birds. "He was a frontiersman, but he wanted to be considered a scientist, too," Olson said. Image: Barn Owl, 1803–05. Pastel and graphite on paper; 35 7/8 x 14 3/16 in. Courtesy of the New York Historical Society. Turkey Vulture Image: Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura), 1820. Pastel, watercolor, graphite, black ink, and black chalk with touches of gouache on two sheets of paper, laid on card; 18 11/16 x 18 5/16 in.

Courtesy of the New York Historical Society. Southern Cassowary Like the Carolina parakeet, this cassowary is part of Harvard University's collection of Audubon's early paintings. Image: Head of a Southern Cassowary, 1812. Pastel and graphite on paper; 21 5/8 x 16 15/16 in. Courtesy of the New York Historical Society. American Goldfinch Image: American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis), Study for Havell pl. 33, 1824. Watercolor, graphite, gouache, and black ink with touches of pastel and selective glazing on paper, laid on card; 18 9/16 x 11 3/4 in. Courtesy of the New York Historical Society. Ivory-Billed Woodpecker Though it's possible that the ivory-billed woodpecker is still alive, America's largest woodpecker is very likely extinct, as are others of Audubon's subjects, including passenger pigeons and Carolina parakeets.

Living in an age of fast-expanding, fast-developing frontiers, Audubon "began to be concerned with such things," said Olson. "He was conscious of species diminishing because of civilization's encroachment." These sounds of America's vanished, largest woodpecker were based on its only known recordings, made in 1935 by a Cornell Lab of Ornithology expedition to Louisiana. Image: Ivory-billed Woodpecker (Campephilus principalis), Study for Havell pl. 66, ca. 1825–26. Watercolor, pastel, black ink, graphite, gouache, and white lead pigment with selective glazing and outlining with a stylus on paper, laid on card. Courtesy of the New York Historical Society. Black-Billed Cuckoo Image: Black-billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus erythrophthalmus), Study for Havell pl. 32, 1822. Watercolor, graphite, pastel, gouache, and black ink with scratching out and touches of glazing on paper, laid on card; 24 3/16 x 19 7/16 in.

Carolina Wren Image: Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus), Study for Havell pl. 78, 1822. Watercolor, graphite, pastel, charcoal, gouache, and black ink with selective glazing on paper, laid on card; 18 13/16 x 11 3/4 in. Courtesy of the New York Historical Society. Fork-Tailed Flycatcher Image: Fork-tailed Flycatcher (Tyrannus savana), Study for Havell pl. 168; sketch of a feather, 1832. Watercolor, graphite, pastel, black ink, and gouache with selective glazing on paper, laid on card; 21 9/16 x 14 1/8 in. Courtesy of the New York Historical Society. Carolina Parakeet (Harvard) Among the paintings provided for the exhibition by Harvard University's Houghton Library, this Carolina parakeet is what Olson calls one of Audubon's "early birds," foreshadowing the style of his mature, fantastically detailed later work. Image: Carolina Parakeet, 1811.

Watercolor, pastel, and graphite on paper; 16 15/16 x 11 in. Courtesy of the New York Historical Society. Red-Tailed Hawk "One of the characteristics of the species is that when their tails fan out, they're translucent. Audubon is always going for effects characteristic of the bird," Olson said. "He wanted his birds to live." Image: Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis), Study for Havell pl. 51, 1821. Watercolor, pastel, black ink, graphite, and black chalk with touches of gouache and selective glazing on paper, laid on card; 37 3/4 x 25 1/2 in. Courtesy of the New York Historical Society.

Question: John James Audubon became famous for painting ….what?
Answer: Birds