Very Rare - Audubon 1st Ed. Octavo - Trumpeter Swan - Plate 382
Item History & Price
Very Rare original John James Audubon lithograph Golden Eagle Gallery is pleased to offer Audubon's magnificent masterpiece portrait of an adult Trumpeter Swan This antique lithograph, based on Audubon's priceless original portrait of an adult Trumpeter Swan created in 1836, depicts a graceful bird swimming through the water and reaching for what appears to be an Atlas Moth floating nearby. The Trumpeter Swan, a ...native of North American, isthe largest swan in the world. Trumpeters are pure white withblack bills They’re named for their bugling calls. Swans havebeen symbols of tranquility and associated with romantic love for at least asfar back as the ancient Greeks, with the myth of Zeus disguising himself as a swan to entice the Spartan princess Leda. Swans are large and graceful, and mate forlife. Truly an enduring symbol of devotion. Swans arewaterfowl, close relatives of geese and ducks, and spend their days as many waterfowldo: hanging out on the water and feeding on vegetation. What sets swans apartis their size. Swans are huge. Trumpeter Swans have about the same six-footwingspan as a Bald Eagle, but are twice as long and more than twice as heavy, at about four feet and up to 25 pounds. These are impressive creatures.Audubon wrote, "... you must observe them when they are not aware of your proximity, and as they glide over the waters of some secluded inland pond. On such occasions, the neck ... moves in graceful curves, now bent forward, now inclined backwards over the body. Now with an extended scooping movement the head becomes immersed for a moment, and with a sudden effort a flood of water is thrown over the back and wings ... rolling off in sparkling globules, like so many large pearls.... Imagine, Reader, that a flock of fifty Swans are thus sporting before you, as they have more than once been in my sight, and you will feel, as I have felt, more happy and void of care than I can describe."
Once a highly endangered species with a known population in the 1930s of less than 100 south of Canada, due to careful conservation work the current North American population of Trumpeter Swans now approaches 50, 000. This antique lithograph was drawn on stone, printed and hand-colored under Audubon's direct supervision by America's finest early 19th century print maker, J.T. Bowen's lithographic establishment in Philadelphia, and published in a limited edition of 1, 050 copies by J.B. Chevalier, also of Philadelphia.
This piece of fine art is Plate 382 from the 1st Royal Octavo Edition of The Birds of America.It was published in April 27, 1843 as part of the original subscription edition of that great work and is now 176 years old!
Audubon chose to make this portrait of the adult Trumpeter Swan plate 406 of the Havell Edition of his magnum opus, Birds of America. This fine composition is highly sought after by serious collectors of natural history art. *******************************************************************************************************************************This extremely rare antique lithograph is in over all excellent condition with rich original hand coloring. The thick wove cotton rag sheet is evenly age-toned as appropriate for a work approaching two centuries in age, some soft handling creases. Sheet measures 10 1/2 in. x 6 5/8 in., with full margins. Evidence of original binding present along the lower edge.This piece of early 19th century fine art would be an ideal gift.
Audubon was influenced by and yet transformed the tradition of natural history art illustration by placing his subjects in their natural settings and in extraordinary life-like positions. His predecessors and successors notably included Mark Catesby, Alexander Wilson, John Gould, Prideaux John Selby, George Edwards, Edward Lear, Cornelius Nozeman, Eleazar Albin, Xaverio Manetti, Titian Ramsay Peale, Walton Ford and others.
Once a highly endangered species with a known population in the 1930s of less than 100 south of Canada, due to careful conservation work the current North American population of Trumpeter Swans now approaches 50, 000. This antique lithograph was drawn on stone, printed and hand-colored under Audubon's direct supervision by America's finest early 19th century print maker, J.T. Bowen's lithographic establishment in Philadelphia, and published in a limited edition of 1, 050 copies by J.B. Chevalier, also of Philadelphia.
This piece of fine art is Plate 382 from the 1st Royal Octavo Edition of The Birds of America.It was published in April 27, 1843 as part of the original subscription edition of that great work and is now 176 years old!
Audubon chose to make this portrait of the adult Trumpeter Swan plate 406 of the Havell Edition of his magnum opus, Birds of America. This fine composition is highly sought after by serious collectors of natural history art. *******************************************************************************************************************************This extremely rare antique lithograph is in over all excellent condition with rich original hand coloring. The thick wove cotton rag sheet is evenly age-toned as appropriate for a work approaching two centuries in age, some soft handling creases. Sheet measures 10 1/2 in. x 6 5/8 in., with full margins. Evidence of original binding present along the lower edge.This piece of early 19th century fine art would be an ideal gift.
Audubon was influenced by and yet transformed the tradition of natural history art illustration by placing his subjects in their natural settings and in extraordinary life-like positions. His predecessors and successors notably included Mark Catesby, Alexander Wilson, John Gould, Prideaux John Selby, George Edwards, Edward Lear, Cornelius Nozeman, Eleazar Albin, Xaverio Manetti, Titian Ramsay Peale, Walton Ford and others.
