Bachman's Oyster Catcher

Work on Paper

-

DePaul Art Museum

Name/Title

Bachman's Oyster Catcher

Entry/Object ID

5755

Description

Vignette of a black colored bird with long red beak standing on a rock bending down to water. Shoreline in the back right.

Context

John J. Audubon’s (1785-1851) book ‘Birds of America’ was originally printed with “Double Elephant folio” engravings, meaning 435 life size images of North American birds. Between 1840 and 1869, several editions of a smaller (“octavo”) version of the book were printed. The prints found in DePaul’s collection are from this later era, and were printed by J.T. Bowen in Philadelphia. Bowen used a “camera lucida” to project the large engravings on lithographic stone which was then hand drawn and hand painted using watercolors. These smaller sized books made Audubon’s work accessible to a wider audience, and helped his art gain the reputation it still holds today.

Acquisition

Notes

Collection of DePaul Art Museum

Made/Created

Artist

Audubon, John J.

Date made

1840 - 1869

Notes

Creation Date: early to mid-20th century

Lexicon

Legacy Lexicon

Class

WORKS ON PAPER