Artwork
English Black Cocks
English Black Cocks is a gouache drawing by the Romanticist artist John James Audubon. It dates from 1828 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
English Black Cocks is a drawing created by John James Audubon in 1828, using watercolor and gouache over graphite. It is one of the artist's detailed depictions of birds.
Subject & Meaning
The drawing shows three black grouse in a natural setting, with a black rooster standing prominently alongside a spotted hen and another bird blending into the background. The scene is set against a soft blue sky with clouds and lush greenery.
Technique & Style
Audubon employed layered watercolor and gouache to achieve a lifelike representation of the birds' plumage, capturing the subtle effects of light on their feathers. This attention to detail reflects the artist's commitment to realistic and precise illustration.
Context
The work is part of Audubon's broader efforts to document avian species through detailed and vivid imagery, a project that would later be published in The Birds of America.
Artist & collection
Artist
John James Audubon (born Jean-Jacques Rabin, April 26, 1785 – January 27, 1851) was a French-American artist, entrepreneur, naturalist, explorer, and ornithologist.
