Birds of America: John James Audubon
February 2, 2008-May 31, 2008
Click here for Exhibition Programming at the Figge
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John James Audubon: Birds of America
February 2 – May 31, 2008
A true conservationist is a man who knows that the world is not given by his fathers, but borrowed from his children. – John James Audubon
John James Audubon (1785–1851) combined his love of nature with his artistic talent to produce some of the most beautiful and lifelike depictions of birds ever created. This exhibition presents forty chromolithographs selected from the Charles Deere collection of 98 Audubon’s “Birds of America” Bien edition prints that have recently been conserved and re-framed. Audubon’s contribution to ornithology was revolutionary and today his name is synonymous with birds, nature conservation and education.
His story is a dramatic and surprising one. Audubon was not born in America, but saw more of the North American continent than virtually anyone alive, and even in his own time he came to exemplify America - the place of wilderness and wild things. Born in Haiti, the illegitimate son of a sea captain was raised in France and sent to America to avoid conscription into Emperor Napoleon’s army. He lived in Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Louisiana, South Carolina and New York; he traveled everywhere from Labrador to Florida, from the Republic of Texas to the mouth of the Yellowstone; he was a merchant, salesman, teacher, hunter, itinerant portraitist and woodsman, an artist and a scientist; he was, in a sense, an amalgamation of American culture of his time.
Audubon's dream of recording every native bird of North America consumed nearly twenty years of his life and was realized with the publication of this mammoth edition of 435 hand-colored etchings, all based on his vivid life-size watercolors. This consisted of hand-colored, life-size prints made from engraved plates measuring around 39 by 26 inches. This original edition was engraved in aquatint by Robert Havell, Jr ; known as the Double Elephant folio. The Birds of America was issued in 87 parts of 5 plates each and when completed in June 1838 contained 435 hand-colored engravings of 1,065 birds of 489 species. By this time Audubon had become a celebrated figure in the United States and in Europe, appearing in the press, lecturing to the public, and finally attaining the financial and professional security that alluded him for so long.
Seven years after their fathers' death, Audubon's sons began an American edition of Birds of America with Julius Bien, a New York printer who was pioneering the field of chromolithography. Bien transferred the images from Havell's copper plates onto lithographic stones. Then as many as thirty printing stages, with additional hand engraving and coloring, were used to reproduce the subtleties of the original engravings. The Bien Edition is the one of the first great examples of chromolithography in America and remains among the finest examples of this medium ever produced. Although the exact number of Bien Edition folios made is unknown, it is the scarcest of all Audubon original editions. Charles Deere probably purchased the 1860 Bien Edition Birds of America Audubon prints in the 1870s. It is believed that less than fifty copies of the Bien Birds of America exist today.
Today The Birds of America prints and the brilliant watercolors upon which they are based are admired not only for their ornithological accuracy, but also for their vitality and keen sense of design. Audubon drew birds from life whenever possible rather than from specimens alone. Of equal or greater importance, he observed the birds in depth and detail. He took note of the birds' food and habitat preferences meticulously and he watched them move, interact, and behave. He strove for action and reality; this was a new approach to the painting of birds. Accustomed to seeing specimens shown simply, against a blank background, some naturalists objected to Audubon's use of dramatic poses and settings. His attempt to position them as they moved in the wild, using wire armatures to support the specimens, was truly revolutionary.
This is a rare opportunity to see a large number of these popular elephant folio (approximately 3’ x 2’ in size) prints. As you explore the artwork of this exhibition, consider the complex story that each image is telling and the fragile beauty it is depicting. These paintings reflect Audubon's love and fascination with the beauty and dynamics of birds and their lively action jumps from the pages.
Programming is designed to introduce visitors to the life and art of John James Audubon, the artist’s working methods and the enduring appeal of Birds of America. Programming is presented by the Figge and Deere-Wiman House and Butterworth Center. All programs are free with paid admission or membership unless otherwise noted.
The Figge Art Museum has received a grant award from Humanities Iowa, a state based affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities, in support of a project titles "Birds of America: John James Audubon Educational Programming".
This program is supported by Humanities Iowa and the National Endowment for the Humanities. The views and opinions expressed by this program do not necessarily reflect those of Humanities Iowa or the National Endowment for the Humanities.
EXHIBITION GALLERY TALK
Brent Langley
1:30 pm Sunday, February 3
Brent Langley is a member of the Left Bank Art League and the Quad City Audubon Society. He will discuss works in the exhibition from his perspective as a wildlife artist.
TEACHER WORKSHOP
“Nature Across the Curriculum: Adventures with Audubon”
Instructor: Dr. Nancy Frakes
8:30 am-4:30 pm Friday, February 8, and
9 am-1 pm Saturday, February 9
Cost: $45 (includes 12 CPDUs, lunch both days, admission to Figge and handouts)
In this hands-on workshop, K-8 teachers will learn about the history and ecology of the Mississippi Valley as well as the nature and animals that live along the Mississippi River. Participants will use this background information to better understand and appreciate Audubon’s
Birds of America. To register, please contact the Regional Office of Education at 309.736.1111. The workshop takes place at the Figge and is presented by the Figge and Deere-Wiman House and Butterworth Center. For questions about the program, please contact Gretchen Small, program director at Deere-Wiman House and Butterworth Center, at 309.765.7971. University credit is pending for an additional fee. Click
here for a printable flyer.
FAMILY PROGRAM
"Adventures with John James Audubon"
11 am Saturday, February 9
Click here for a complete schedule of events.
Storyteller Brian "Fox" Ellis portrays Audubon in entertaining and meticulously researched monologues. In this performance, Mr. Ellis will bring to life bird behavior, focusing on the birds you are most likely to see as you go bird watching in this area. Audubon followed the annual migrations of birds throughout North America in the 1820s and 1830s, keeping meticulous journals on the birds he saw. With lessons on field ecology, the scientific method, art history and bird migration, the audience is invited to imitate birds and discuss the life histories of their favorite feathered friends.
Brian "Fox" Ellis is an internationally renowned storyteller and naturalist who has worked for The Nature Conservancy and Outward Bound. He is the author of seven books including the critically acclaimed Learning from the land: Teaching Ecology Through Stories and Activities. Mr. Ellis lives in Peoria, Illinois.
“Getting to Know John James Audubon”
1-3 pm Saturday, February 9
Free admission to the Figge and Audubon programs from 12:30-3 pm!
Storyteller Brian "Fox" Ellis portrays Audubon in entertaining and meticulously researched monologues. Brian "Fox" Ellis is an internationally renowned storyteller and nautralist who has worked for The Nature Conservancy and Outward Bound. He is the author of seven books, including the critically acclaimed Learning from the Land: Teaching Ecology Through Stories and Activities. Mr. Ellis lives in Peoria, Illinois.
1 pm: In this program, Audubon will enchant you with tales about his adventures in the wildest places in North America, his childhood in France, and the colorful characters he met along the way. Audubon published more than 50 short stories about his travels and travails as he set about to collect 435 species of birds. From Nova Scotia to Florida, the Rockies to the Atlantic, Audubon will regail the audience with his views of the American Wilderness as he saw it in the early 1800s.
3 pm: In this performance, Audubon will share the amazing story behind his life work, Birds of America. He will speak of his training as an artist with the great David, his unique multimedia paintng techniques and the process of printing portfolios and selling subscriptions. Audubon would dress as "The American Woodsman" and imitate birds for the kings of Europe to sell his art.
Bird related activities plus refreshments will be available in the studios from 1-3 pm. Local wildlife artist Brent Langley will talk about his own work and show a painting in progress.
Click here for a complete schedule of events.
SCHOOL TOURS
Call or email today to arrange a tour for your school or group! Youth group tour prices are just $3.00 per student, or $5.00 per student including an art activity in our studios. There is no charge for teachers or chaperones. Thanks to a generous stipend from the Butterworth Center and Deere-Wiman House, your school can even get financial aid to help pay for bus expenses! Click here for more information. Call Heather at 563.326.7804 x2045 to arrange a tour, or email haaronson@figgeartmuseum.org.
TOUR
"Feathered Friends and Glorious Glass"
1:30 pm Sundays, February 10, 17, & 24
Free with paid admission or membership
Enjoy a docent guided tour of the exhibitions Birds of America: John James Audubon and Clear Your Mind: Contemporary Glass Invitational.
EXHIBITION GALLERY TALK
"Audubon and His Methods"
7pm Thursday, February 21
Ann Marie Hayes, Figge curator of education, will discuss Audubon's working methods and the printmaking processes used for The Birds of America editions..
FAMILY PROGRAM
“Birds of the Mississippi River”
1-3 pm Saturday, March 1
Auditorium program begins at 1 pm
Free admission to the Figge and Audubon programs from 12:30-3 pm!
Click here for a complete schedule of events.
Park ranger Samantha Heilig will explain how to use a field guide, identify birds by sight and sound and writed field notes. This program, which is open to ages 8 and up, starts promptly at 1 pm. Bird-related activities plus refreshmens will be available from 1-3 pm. In the Community Gallery, local wildlife artist Brent Langley will talk about his own work and show a painting in progress.
EXHIBITION TALK
"John James Audubon, All-American: Free Associating Through 19th-Century America"
2:30 pm Sunday, March 9
Herb Metzler, Figge preparator, will discuss Audubon in the context of his times, including such fields as science and literature.
ART & BOOKS
John James Audubon: The Making of an American by Richard Rhodes
7 pm Wednesday, March 12
Malmros Room, Bettendorf Public Library
Free
Dick Sayles, Quad Cities Audubon Society board member, will lead a discussion of this important biography, published in 2004, the first major Audubon biography in 40 years, and the first to illuminate fully the private and family life of the master illustrator of the natural world. Books will be available for loan on a first-come basis at the Bettendorf Public Library Information Desk starting Monday, February 4. For more information, please contact Hedy Hustedde at hhustedde@bettendorf.org.
Poetry Reading and Discussion
"The Eye is the Light of the Body: Poetry and Discussion on the Art of John James Audubon" Thomas Joswick
2:30 pm Sunday, April 13
Thomas Joswick, professor emeritus of literature at Western Illinois University, will explore the aesthetic, ecological and historical significance of Audubon's art. Over his career, Thomas Joswick has taught and written widely on 19th century American literature, with a special emphasis on nature writing and art during recent years. He has lectured and read his poetry on John James Audubon to numerous groups. Recently, five of his poems were awarded the Editors' Prize for Poetry in Isotope: A Journal of Literary Nature and Science Writing.
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