Name/Title
Common Harrier, Birds of AmericaEntry/Object ID
5724Description
Two common harriers.Artwork Details
Medium
Hand-colored lithographContext
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 University, gift of Douglas Kenyon Inc.Ethnography
Notes
North America
United States
North America, United StatesInscription/Signature/Marks
Type
InscriptionLocation
TTranscription
No. 6 P126Material/Technique
in printType
InscriptionLocation
bottomTranscription
Common Harrier. Drawn from nature by J.J. Audubon FRSFLS Lith 3 Printed 8 Col. d by J. T. Brown. Phulad. aMaterial/Technique
in printType
InscriptionLocation
verso TRTranscription
7342 150-Material/Technique
graphiteDimensions
Dimension Description
sheetWidth
6-5/8 inLength
10-3/8 in