John James Audubon (1785-1851) Plate 76. Virginia Partridge

JOHN JAMES AUDUBON (1785-1851) Virginia Partridge, Plate 76 from Birds of America Engraved by Robert Havell (1793-1878) Published: London, 1827-1838 Aquatint engraving with original hand coloring Paper size: 25 3/4” x 36 7/8"   John James Audubon is without rival as the most celebrated American natural history artist.  Audubon devoted his life to realizing his dream of identifying and depicting the birds of North America, and his work has had profound cultural and historical significance.  In the second decade of the 19th century, he set out to travel throughout the wilderness of the United States, drawing every notable species of native bird. His remarkable ambition and artistic talent culminated in the publication of the monumental Birds of America in 1827-38, a series of 435 aquatints that have only grown in fame since the time of their first appearance. This work established Audubon as an early American artist who could attract European attention, and for many, he personified New W