J.J Audubon

Photo art : fine-art reproductions of watercolor by J.J. Audubon
Jean-Jacques Audubon (or John James Audubon in the United States), born on April 26, 1785 in Cayes (Saint-Domingue) and died on January 27, 1851 in New York, was an American ornithologist, naturalist and painter of French origin, naturalized in 1812, considered the first ornithologist of the New World. He was raised in Couëron near Nantes where he was fascinated by natural history from his childhood. In 1803, his father obtained for him a false passport that allowed him to travel to the United States. He went down the Mississippi with his rifle, his box of colors and his assistant, with the intention of finding and painting all the species of birds in North America. From 1810 he led a wandering life as a hunter, while lovingly observing nature and describing and illustrating flora and fauna, especially birds, with great skill. His birds are vividly depicted in their natural habitat. This contrasts with the stodgy representations of his contemporaries. In 1826 he arrived in London with his portfolio. His success was immediate. He was celebrated as the "American Woodsman" and raised enough money to publish The Birds of America between 1830 and 1839. His work, remarkable for its accuracy of detail and beauty of execution, consists of four volumes containing 435 hand-painted life-size plates. King George IV was one of his enthusiastic admirers. Audubon was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society, following Benjamin Franklin who was its first American Fellow. He added to his Birds of America the Ornithological Biographies (Edinburgh, 1831-1839, 5 volumes in-8), which contain the description of the life of each species represented. This work was written in collaboration with the Scottish ornithologist William MacGillivray. Audubon continued his expeditions in North America and bought a property on the Hudson River, today Audubon Park. Back in his homeland, he undertook, with the help of Dr. John Bachman (1790-1874), the description of mammals, the Viviparous Quadrupeds of North America, which appeared in New York in 1850. The book was completed by his sons and his wife. John James Audubon is probably buried in Trinity Churchyard, New York, where there is an imposing monument erected in his honor.
The Birds of America

The Birds of America

PHOTOby presents fine-art prints on matte paper, reproductions of watercolors from the book The Birds of America, by the American ornithologist, naturalist and painter Jean-Jacques Audubon (1785-1851), and published between 1827 and 1838. The original size of the book is about 96x66cm. About the book The Birds of America: The book is considered one of the most expensive book in publishing history. In 2010, one of the few copies belonging to private collections was sold for 8.6 million euros at an auction organized by Sotheby's in London. Another copy had already been sold for 7 million euros in 2000. From 1820 onwards, J.J. Audubon travelled the United States to paint ornithological plates of numerous species of birds, discovering 23 species in the process. The result is 435 watercolors, which are of great scientific interest, but are also noted for their artistic qualities. The birds are depicted in life size, making The Birds of America the largest antique illustrated book in the world (double-elephant-folio format, about 96 × 66 cm). These watercolors were engraved by Robert Havell Sr. and Robert Havell Jr. using the aquatint process, and the plates were colored by hand. The Birds of America was published in London, in 4 volumes, from 1827 to 1838. It was printed in 200 copies. Today, only 119 complete copies remain (108 of which are preserved in public institutions), the others having been dispersed during the separate sale of the engravings.
Viviparous Quadrupeds of North America

Viviparous Quadrupeds of North America

PHOTOby presents fine-art prints on matte paper, reproductions of the watercolors of Viviparous Quadrupeds of North America, a book by the American ornithologist, naturalist and painter Jean-Jacques Audubon (1785-1851). After The Birds of America, Audubon undertook, with the help of Dr. John Bachman (1790-1874), the description of mammals. Viviparous Quadrupeds of North America, was published in New York in 1850.

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