Description
Audubon’s accompanying text included a lengthy description of the bird and its habits, based on his observations, including these excerpts:
This beautiful and singular bird, although a constant resident in the southern extremities of the peninsula of Florida, seldom extends its journeys in an eastern direction beyond the State of North Carolina…Although rather abundant on some parts of the coast of Florida, I found it more so along the Bay of Mexico, particularly in Galveston Bay in the Texas, where, as well as on the Florida Keys, it breeds in flocks…
The Roseate Spoonbill is found for the most part along the marshy and muddy borders of estuaries, the mouths of rivers, ponds, or sea islands or keys partially overgrown with bushes, and perhaps still more commonly along the shores of those singular salt-water bayous so abundant within a mile or so of the shores, where they can reside and breed in perfect security in the midst of an abundance of food. It is more or less gregarious at all seasons, and it is rare to meet with fewer than half a dozen together, unless they have been dispersed by a tempest, in which case one of them is now and then found in a situation where you would least expect it. At the approach of the breeding season, these small flocks collect to form great bodies, as is the manner of the Ibises, and resort to their former places of residence, to which they regularly return, like Herons. During the moult, which takes place in Florida late in May, the young of the preceding year conceal themselves among the close branches of the mangroves and other trees growing over narrow inlets, between secluded keys, or on bayous, where they spend the whole day, and whence it is difficult to start them. Toward night they return to their feeding grounds, generally keeping apart from the old birds. In the same country the old birds pass through their spring moult early in March, after which they are truly beautiful, presenting the appearance which I have attempted to represent in the late before you. The sight of a flock of fifteen or twenty of these full-dressed birds is extremely pleasing to the student of nature, should be conceal himself from their view, for then he may observe their movements and manners to advantage. Now, they all stand with their wings widely extended to receive the sun’s rays, or perhaps to court the cooling breeze, or they enjoy either seated on their tarsi. Again, they all stalk about with graceful steps along the margin of the muddy pool, or wade in the shallows in search of food. After awhile they rise simultaneously on wing, and gradually ascend in a spiral manner to a great height, where you see them crossing each other in a thousand ways, like so many Vultures or Ibises. At length, tired of this pastime, or perhaps urged by bunger, they return to their feeding grounds in a zigzag course, and plunge through the air, as if displaying their powers of flight before you. These birds fly with their necks stretched forward to their full length, and their legs and feet extended behind, moving otherwise in the manner of Herons, or with easy flapping, until about to alight, when they sail with expanded wings, passing once or twice over the spot, and then gently coming to the ground, on which they run a few steps. When travelling to a distant place they proceed in regular ranks, but on ordinary occasions they fly in a confused manner. When the sun is shining, and they are wheeling on wing previous to alighting, their roseate tints exhibit a richer glow, which is surpassed only by the brilliancy of the Scarlet Ibis and American Flamingo.
John James Audubon, the most renowned American bird artist and ornithologist, was born in Haiti, in 1785. When French control of Haiti ended in 1803, he was sent to his father’s farm near Philadelphia. He married and moved to Kentucky five years later. A self-taught artist, Audubon developed his own methods of mounting birds so he could draw them in lifelike positions. He also expanded on showing the birds in the natural habitat, following the lead of Mark Catesby (1682- 1749), an English naturalist responsible for the first published illustrated account of the flora and fauna of North America. Audubon conceived of the project to document birds found in the United States in 1810, but financial setbacks prevented him from seriously embarking upon the project until 1820. At that time, he and his family relocated to Louisiana, and from there he explored vast regions of the United States along the East Coast and through parts of the Midwest, drawing the various species of birds in their natural habitats.
In 1826, Audubon traveled to England with his portfolio of ornithological works to seek support for its publication, and was warmly received by influential members of the scientific community, who helped him make the necessary connections. Audubon’s original drawings and watercolors were engraved and published as The Birds of America, principally in London, by Robert Havell, Jr., in an unprecedented “double elephant folio” size. Approximately 200 sets were issued in parts of five prints each, from 1827 to 1838, and then often bound as a set of huge books in multiple volumes. In the process of engraving the work, Havell variously made minor modifications of the images and backgrounds in what is generally considered an improvement on the compositions. It is renowned a the greatest natural history color-plate book ever made in terms of its historical and scientific importance and accuracy, the artistry of the compositions, and the quality and size of the prints.
Shortly after the completion of the folio set, a smaller royal octavo edition of Audubon’s birds was published as hand-colored lithographs. It allowed Audubon to scientifically arrange his subjects by genus and species and to include several newly discovered species of Western hemisphere birds that were not included in the original Havell edition. The first edition of the octavos was published by the Philadelphia lithographer J.T. Bowen from 1840 to 1844 (except plates 136 to 150 lithographed by George Endicott, New York). It was issued by subscription as 500 plates in 100 parts, each containing five plates, and then usually bound in 8 volumes. It proved so successful that 6 more editions were subsequently issued, ending in the Lockwood 7th edition, in 1870 to 1871.
Robert Havell Jr. was a British-born engraver and painter, and member of the renowned Havell family of artists. He learned the art of aquatint engraving from his father, Robert Havell Sr. and worked in the family engraving business and then with Colnaghi’s in London. He established himself as a master of aquatint with 425 plates (of the set of 435 plates) he executed for John James Audubon’s double elephant folio first edition of The Birds of America, published principally in London between 1827 and 1838. In 1839, at Audubon’s invitation, Havell moved with his family to New York and embarked on a new career as a landscape painter in the style of the Hudson River school, while also working as an engraver. He lived in Ossining and Tarrytown and traveled throughout the Northeast, sketching views which he translated into oil paintings and engravings at home. One of this best known printed views is Niagara Falls from the Chinese Pagoda, which he engraved after one of his paintings. His works are in the collections of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Metropolitan Museum of Art, The White House, the New York Historical Society and many others.
Full publication information: “No. 73. Pl. 362. Roseate Spoonbill. Drawn from Nature by JJ Audubon F.R.S. F.L.S. Lith. Printed & Col’d by JT Bowen Phila.”
Condition: Generally very good with light toning, wear, handling. Presented in gilt wood frame with cream color mat. No examined out of frame.
References:
Audubon, John James. “Roseate Spoonbill.” National Audubon Society. https://www.audubon.org/birds-of-america/roseate-spoonbill (16 September 2022).
Nissen, Claus. Die Illustrierten Vogelbucher: ihre Geschichte und Bibliographie. Stuttgart: 1976. 49.
“Robert Havell Jr.” The Grove Dictionary of Art. New York: Macmillan. 2000. Artnet.com.http://www2.artnet.com/library/03/0369/T036956.asp (9 September 2003).
Sitwell, Sacheverell. Fine Bird Books, 1700-1900. New York: The Atlantic Monthly Press, 1990. p. 57.
Wood, Casey A. (ed.) An Introduction to the Literature of Vertebrate Zoology Based Chiefly on the Titles in the Blacker Library of Zoology, the Emma Shearer Wood Library of Ornithology, the Bibliotheca Osleriana, and Other Libraries of McGill University, Montreal. London: Humphry Milford, Oxford University Press, 1931. p. 207.
Zellman, Michael David. American Art Analog, Vol. 1. New York: Chelsea House, 1986. p. 113 (Havell).
Zimmer, John Todd. Catalogue of the Edward E. Ayer Ornithological Library. Zoological Series, Publ. 239-240, Vol. 16. Chicago: Field Museum of Natural History, 1926. pp. 18-20, 20-21.
