Artwork
Cat Bird
Cat Bird is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Robert Havell Jr.. It dates from 1832 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Cat Bird is a print created by Robert Havell Jr. in 1832 using hand-colored engraving and aquatint on Whatman wove paper.
Subject & Meaning
The print depicts two gray birds with black heads and orange wing patches perched on a branch with leaves and berries, capturing a moment of the birds feeding.
Technique & Style
Rendered in a detailed and realistic style, the print features intricate textures and shading, with a muted color palette emphasizing earthy tones.
History & Provenance
Robert Havell Jr., from a family of engravers, etchers, and painters, continued his family's tradition, leveraging their expertise in aquatint, a technique in which they were prominent.
Artist & collection
Artist
The Havell family of Reading, Berkshire, England, included a number of notable engravers, etchers and painters, as well as writers, publishers, educators, and musicians.
