Artwork
The Swallow Tail Hawk (Falco furcatus)
The Swallow Tail Hawk (Falco furcatus) is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Mark Catesby. It is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
The work titled *The Swallow Tail Hawk (Falco furcatus)* is a hand‑coloured etching and engraving on laid paper, executed in 1754. It forms part of the extensive visual record assembled by English naturalist Mark Catesby, whose multi‑volume *Natural History of Carolina, Florida and the Bahama Islands* presented more than two hundred illustrated plates of New World flora and fauna.
Subject & Meaning
The image portrays a North‑American swallow‑tailed hawk perched on a slender branch, its distinctive forked tail fanned out. The bird’s plumage is rendered in muted greys with darker wing tones, while a vivid orange eye draws attention. The stark, unadorned background isolates the specimen, emphasizing anatomical details for scientific observation.
Technique & Style
Catesby employed a combination of etching and engraving to achieve fine line work, then applied hand‑applied colour to highlight key features such as the eye and tail. The use of laid paper provides a subtle texture that supports the delicate rendering of feathers and the crispness of the engraved outlines, typical of mid‑18th‑century natural history illustration.
History & Provenance
Created during the final phase of Catesby’s publishing project, the plate was incorporated into the 1754 edition of his natural history series. The work circulated among European scholars and collectors interested in American wildlife, contributing to the early scientific knowledge of the species and establishing Catesby’s reputation as a pioneering illustrator.
Context
Catesby’s plates were among the first systematic visual records of North American birds, predating many later ornithological surveys. The swallow‑tailed hawk, a raptor native to the southeastern United States, was documented at a time when European naturalists were eager to catalogue the biodiversity of the New World, linking art with emerging scientific methods.
Artist & collection
Artist
Mark Catesby (24 March 1683 – 23 December 1749) was an English naturalist who studied the flora and fauna of the New World.
