Artwork
Little Sandpiper
Little Sandpiper is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Robert Havell Jr.. It dates from 1836 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Little Sandpiper is a hand-colored engraving and aquatint on Whatman wove paper created by Robert Havell Jr. in 1836.
Subject & Meaning
The print depicts two sandpipers near a rocky stream, one standing on a rock and the other pecking at the water's edge, set against a softly rendered background of trees and hills.
Technique & Style
The work showcases Havell Jr.'s skill in aquatint, a technique that allows for fine detail and subtle shading, characteristic of nature studies from the period.
History & Provenance
Robert Havell Jr. was part of a family of engravers with a long tradition in printmaking, following in the footsteps of his father, Robert Havell the Elder.
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.
