Barn Owl
Date1833
After work by
John James Audubon
1785 - 1851
Engraver
Robert Havell
Publisher
Robert Havell
MediumAquatint on wove paper with hand coloring
DimensionsOverall: 37 1/2 × 25 in (95.25 × 63.5cm)
Credit LineMuseum Purchase
Object number1972-476
DescriptionUpper left corner reads: "N.o 35."Upper right corner reads: "PLATE. CLXXI."
Lower right corner reads: "Drawn from Nature by J.J. Audubon. F.R.S F.L.S"
Center reads: "Barn Owl./ STRIX FLAMMEA./ Male 1. Female. 2./ Ground Squireel. Scirius Stiatus."
Lower right margin reads: "Engraved. Printed & Coloured by R. Havell 1833."
Birds PRINT; Audubon print of Barn Owl, # 35; Lithograph with watercolor on wove paper.Label TextArtist naturalist John James Audubon published the groundbreaking The Birds of America based on his years of exploration and research. This monumental book included 435 hand-colored, double elephant folio engravings of American bird specimens that were published between 1827 and 1838. Today, 120 complete copies of this publication are known to survive. The book was published in a large format to fit each engraving of birds to their actual scale. It was the first natural history publication attempt this format.
The owls that Audubon drew in preparation for this engraving were given to him by Dr. Richard Harlan of Philadelphia. Robert Havell, the engraver, added an evening scene with a landscape to the image.
Mary Wright Alsop
1800-1850
