Birds of the World
250 Years of Color Plate Folios
18 January - 23 March 1997
Bird illustrations are both art and science. In the days before photography, the illustrations manifested details most humans did not have the opportunity to see.
The McClung Museum has a notable collection of bird illustrations, thanks to the generosity of two couples, the late Mr. and Mrs. John L. Greer of Knoxville and Mr. and Mrs. Joel E. Rynning of Atlanta.
In 1962, Mr. and Mrs. John L. Greer donated to the McClung Museum an extensive collection of both bound and single folios of hand-painted bird illustrations by John Gould that were published between 1830 and 1881.
In 1996, the Museum received another significant gift of ornithological drawings which greatly supplemented and enhanced that earlier collection. Mr. and Mrs. Joel E. Rynning donated a collection of 287 lithographs and engravings that span over 250 years and represent the entire history of hand-colored ornithological plates. The artists include Mark Catesby, Xaviero Manetti, John James Audubon, John Gould, Henry E. Dresser, Daniel Giraud Elliot, and Rex Brasher. The greatest number of works in this collection are by John James Audubon.
This exhibition presents 100 of the finest illustrations from the Greer and Rynning collections. The color and exquisite detail will please not only artists and art lovers, but also anyone with an interest in birds or natural history.
EARLY ILLUSTRATIONS
The earliest illustrations on display are by Eleazar Albin and Mark Catesby.
The Natural History of Birds (London 1731-1738) by Eleazar Albin was the first folio on the subject of British birds to be illustrated exclusively with hand-colored plates; the 302 plates were, in fact, hand-colored by Albin himself with the assistance of his daughter.
Eleazar Albin: Hook Bill'd Drake
As the author and illustrator of The Natural History of Carolina, Florida, and the Bahamas (1731), Mark Catesby produced the earliest colored book on American birds and has been called the "Father of American Ornithology."
Mark Catesby: Brown Bittern.
A third 18th century artist was Xaviero Manetti, who published the Storia Naturale degli Uccelli (1767-1776), illustrated by 600 costly copper plate engravings drawn from nature.
AUDUBON AND GOULD
The two best-known artists, whose art forms the core of this exhibition, are John James Audubon and John Gould.
JOHN JAMES AUDUBON (1785-1851)
It is ironic that the best-known illustrator of North American birds was Haitian-born and reared in France. Audubon came to America at age 18, married, and eventually settled in Ohio. His lifelike illustrations of American birds are as popular today as when he produced them a century and a half ago.
From 1820 to 1837, Audubon collected bird specimens from all over North America, produced the drawings of almost 500 species, supervised the engraving and lithography process, sold subscriptions to his volumes, and promoted himself and ornithology throughout Europe and America.
He first published Birds of America in the large "elephant folio" format (1824-1838); this was followed with the smaller "octavo" edition (1840-1844).
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| John James Audubon: Carduelis Tristis, Linn. (American Goldfinch), 1840-44. |
John James Audubon: Ibis Falcinellus, Linn. (Glossy Ibis), 1840-44. |
Audubon's last project was his work on mammals published as Viviparous Quadrupeds of North America (1845).
JOHN GOULD (1804-1881)
A contemporary and, at times, competitor of Audubon was London's John Gould. Gould was curator and preserver of the Zoological Society of London. His work introduced him to the finest naturalists of his day and inspired his inimitable ornithological works.
From 1830 to 1880, Gould oversaw the production of 24 works containing over 3,000 hand-colored lithographs. Of those 24 works, the following are represented in this exhibition with one or more prints: Birds of Asia, Birds of Australia, Birds of Europe, Birds of Great Britain, Birds of New Guinea, and his monographs on hummingbirds, toucans, and trogons.
Gould's passion for ornithology, and the talented artists and colorists he employed, combined to create images of incredible beauty and detail.
OTHER 19TH CENTURY WORKS
Other 19th century works mounted in this exhibition are those by Henry E. Dresser (A History of the Birds of Europe) and Daniel Giraud Elliot (New and Heretofore Unfigured Species of the Birds of North America).
Daniel Giraud Elliot: Long-Crested Jay.
REX BRASHER (1869-1960)
The most recent artist in this exhibition is Rex Brasher, who published the Birds and Trees of North America (1929-1932). Brasher depicted more than 1,000 species of birds on 867 plates -- an almost complete American ornithology.
Brasher made his plates as photogravures (a delicate form of photo etching) of his original paintings. He hand-colored the plates. He has been called a 20th century Audubon.
Rex Brasher: Three Chickadees, from Birds and Trees of North America, 1929-32