Audubon Havell Aquatint PROOF PLATE, Trumpeter Swan Adult, Plate 406

AUDUBON, John James (1785 - 1851). Trumpeter Swan Adult, Plate 406 [PROOF]. Aquatint engraving with original hand color. London: Robert Havell, 1827-1838. 20 3/8" x 36" sheet, 33 1/8" x 49 3/4" framed. Early Color Proof of Audubon’s Trumpeter Swan - A Rare Record of the Audubon-Havell Birds of America Collaboration An Example of this Image hung in Jacqueline Onassis’ home on Martha’s Vineyard. A truly extraordinary find, a color proof of John James Audubon’s “Trumpeter Swan,” which highlights the vital collaboration with the talented engraver Robert Havell Jr. It is believed to have originated from Havell’s studio, adding a layer of historical significance. Given the delicate, vulnerable nature of such rare proofs during the trial stages, only a handful have survived, making this particular piece exceptionally valuable. For scholars, collectors and enthusiasts of Audubon’s work, this proof is not just a piece of art but a remarkable connection to the rich legacy of one of America’s greatest naturalists. The “Trumpeter Swan” exhibits several characteristics that distinguish it among the limited number of known proof and pattern plates. Printed on Whatman paper, it is trimmed to the image, without a printed title. It is believed that the colorist focused solely on the colored areas of the composition, making smaller paper easier to handle in the workroom. Due to frequent handling, nearly all proofs related to Audubon’s Birds of America exhibit signs of wear, including tears, excess inking, printer’s creases and general soiling. At her 300-acre Martha's Vineyard haven, Red Gate Farm, Jackie O enjoyed summers secluded in nature with her family. By highlighting Audubon's Trumpeter Swan in her foyer and again in her dining room, Ms. Onassis fashioned an aesthetic apt for a cozy, yet refined, seaside retreat. Audubon's rendering of the lone majestic, elegant swan playing with a butterfly beautifully encapsulates the joy and tranquility of summertime by the sea. "In a note contained in the Journals of LEWIS and CLARK, written in the course of the expedition of these daring travellers across the Rocky Mountains, it is stated that "the Swans are of two kinds, the large and small. The large Swan is the same with the one common in the Atlantic States. The small differs from the large only in size and note; it is about one fourth less, and its note is entirely different. These birds were first found below the great narrows of the Columbia, near the Chilluckittequaw nation. They are very abundant in this neighbourhood, and remained with the party all winter, and in number they exceed those of the larger species in the proportion of five to one. " These observations are partly correct and partly erroneous. In fact, the smaller species of the two, which is the C. Americanus of SHARPLESS, is the only one abundant in the middle districts of our Atlantic coast, while the larger Swan, the subject of this article, is rarely if ever seen to the eastward of the mouths of the Mississippi" - (Audubon's Ornithological Biography, 1831).

Utropspris:SEK 1,476,659.85

Visa alla föremål frånArader GalleriesellerKonst & Grafik