Artwork
Jager
Jager is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Robert Havell Jr.. It dates from 1835 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1835, *Jager* is a hand‑coloured engraving combined with aquatint, printed on fine Whatman wove paper. The image presents a solitary bird perched on a grassy rise, a shell at its feet, and a tranquil water scene with distant landforms beyond. The composition conveys a quiet, natural setting, inviting close observation of the bird’s detailed plumage and the surrounding landscape.
Subject & Meaning
The central figure is a bird with a white chest, a striped black‑and‑white neck, and dark brown wings and tail, rendered in profile as it looks leftward. The inclusion of a shell and the calm water suggests a study of habitat and the bird’s place within a peaceful environment, emphasizing themes of stillness and observation of nature.
Technique & Style
Havell employed a combination of engraving and aquatint, allowing for fine line work alongside tonal washes. Hand‑colouring adds subtle hues that enhance depth, particularly in the bird’s plumage and the distant landscape. The use of Whatman wove paper provides a smooth, uniform surface that supports the delicate gradations characteristic of early 19th‑century printmaking.
History & Provenance
Robert Havell Jr., a member of the prominent Havell family of Reading, Berkshire, produced the print. The Havells were noted for their expertise in aquatint and for publishing works related to Indian art and culture. *Jager* reflects the family’s active role in engraving and publishing during the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries.
Context
The work emerges from a period when British printmakers were increasingly interested in natural history and detailed studies of fauna. Its serene composition aligns with Romantic sensibilities that valued the sublime and tranquil aspects of the natural world, while the technical execution demonstrates the era’s advancements in colour print processes.
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.
