Artwork
Purple Martin
Purple Martin is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Robert Havell Jr.. It dates from 1827 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Purple Martin is a hand-colored engraving and aquatint print on Whatman wove paper, created by Robert Havell Jr. in 1827. The work showcases the Havell family's technical proficiency, particularly in aquatint, a specialty of the family.
Subject & Meaning
The print depicts four Purple Martin birds—three perched and one in flight—surrounding a gourd-shaped nest. The scene emphasizes naturalistic detail, with the birds rendered in blue, gray, and black hues against a plain white background.
Technique & Style
Havell Jr. employed fine lines, shading, and the family's established color printing methods to achieve realistic textures, notably in the birds' feathers and the nest's detail.
History & Provenance
Part of a larger publication featuring birds in natural habitats, Purple Martin reflects the Havell family's longstanding involvement in engraving, etching, and publishing, with a noted interest in Indian art and culture.
Context
Created within the context of the Havell family's artistic and publishing legacy, the piece exemplifies early 19th-century techniques in ornithological illustration.
Legacy
As part of a series on birds in natural settings, Purple Martin contributes to the historical record of ornithological art, showcasing the Havells' contribution to the field of color printing and natural history illustration.
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.
