Bay-breasted Warbler. Setophaga castanea [current name: Bay-breasted Warbler. Dendroica castanea], from "The Birds of America," plate 69 [later LXIX]
This print from Audubon's The Birds of America represents adult male and female birds in breeding plumage whose current scientific name is Dendroica castanea. The male perches on a twig at upper center, facing left in profile. It has an orange head cap, black face bands, white neck feathers, orange side feathers with white on its lower breast. Wings and tail feathers are black, grey and white. The female perches below facing slightly downwards and left. The birds appear amongst Highland or Upland Cotton which is shown with leaves, pink flowers and pods. This is a first variant before the plate number was changed from 69 to LXIX. Audubon wrote on the related painting "May 12, Pens." [i.e. Pennsylvania] which he may have improved later.
Audubon placed the birds in his prints amongst plants native to their habitats, a significant departure from traditional natural history drawing practice. Also innovative was to often show birds in movement and, when more than one appear, from different points of view to display more of their plumage. Engraved text below gives English vernacular names for the birds followed by Latin, with plants identified in the same way. Full sets of The Birds of America contain 435 life-sized depictions. Over thirteen years, subscribers periodically received sets of five prints (each set containing images of two small, one medium sized and one large bird species). Engraved numbers at upper left and right identify the set number and individual plate number. Double elephant-folio sized sheets of paper were used, no matter the size of the printing plate, to allow the sets to be bound together once complete. Fewer than two hundred full sets were produced. When later divided, previous owners of individual prints often trimmed the margins. This work retains its original margins.
Audubon placed the birds in his prints amongst plants native to their habitats, a significant departure from traditional natural history drawing practice. Also innovative was to often show birds in movement and, when more than one appear, from different points of view to display more of their plumage. Engraved text below gives English vernacular names for the birds followed by Latin, with plants identified in the same way. Full sets of The Birds of America contain 435 life-sized depictions. Over thirteen years, subscribers periodically received sets of five prints (each set containing images of two small, one medium sized and one large bird species). Engraved numbers at upper left and right identify the set number and individual plate number. Double elephant-folio sized sheets of paper were used, no matter the size of the printing plate, to allow the sets to be bound together once complete. Fewer than two hundred full sets were produced. When later divided, previous owners of individual prints often trimmed the margins. This work retains its original margins.
Artwork Details
- Title: Bay-breasted Warbler. Setophaga castanea [current name: Bay-breasted Warbler. Dendroica castanea], from "The Birds of America," plate 69 [later LXIX]
- Artist: After John James Audubon (American (born Haiti), Les Cayes (Saint-Domingue) 1785–1851 New York)
- Etcher: Etched and aquatinted by Robert Havell Jr. (American (born England), Reading 1793–1878 Tarrytown, New York)
- Printer: Robert Havell, Sr. (British, Reading 1769–1832)
- Publisher: John James Audubon (American (born Haiti), Les Cayes (Saint-Domingue) 1785–1851 New York)
- Date: 1829
- Medium: Hand-colored etching, aquatint and engraving
- Dimensions: Plate: 19 7/16 × 12 3/16 in. (49.3 × 31 cm)
Sheet: 38 11/16 × 25 9/16 in. (98.3 × 65 cm) - Classification: Prints
- Credit Line: Gift of Dr. and Mrs. Michael and Elyn Stubblefield, 2024
- Object Number: 2024.587.3
- Curatorial Department: Drawings and Prints
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John James Audubon
1829
John James Audubon
1830
John James Audubon
1830
Multiple artists/makers
1851
Multiple artists/makers
1854
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