Artwork
Red-breasted Merganser
Red-breasted Merganser is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Robert Havell Jr.. It dates from 1838 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art. Created in 1838, *Red‑breasted Merganser* is a hand‑colored print that combines engraving with aquatint on a sheet of Whatman wove paper.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1838, *Red‑breasted Merganser* is a hand‑colored print that combines engraving with aquatint on a sheet of Whatman wove paper. The image presents two waterfowl amid reeds and flowers, one poised for flight and the other gliding on water, set against a pale sky. The work exemplifies the detailed natural observation characteristic of early nineteenth‑century British printmaking.
Subject & Meaning
The composition focuses on a pair of red‑breasted mergansers, distinguished by their bright beaks and feet. The juxtaposition of a soaring bird and a swimming counterpart highlights the dynamism of avian life and reflects a Romantic interest in the vitality of the natural world. The surrounding grasses and blossoms frame the birds within a tranquil, yet lively, wetland scene.
Technique & Style
After printing, the image was hand‑colored, adding vivid reds, yellows, and greens that enhance the realism of feathers, foliage, and sky.
Havell employed a combination of line engraving and aquatint, a tonal method that allows for subtle gradations of color and atmosphere. After printing, the image was hand‑colored, adding vivid reds, yellows, and greens that enhance the realism of feathers, foliage, and sky. The careful rendering of texture and light aligns the piece with the Romantic emphasis on detailed, emotive depictions of nature.
History & Provenance
Robert Havell Jr., part of a prominent family of British engravers, produced the print within a lineage that included his father, Robert Havell the Elder, and his uncle, Luke Havell, both respected for their contributions to engraving and drawing instruction. The Havell workshop was known for its expertise in aquatint, a technique that the family helped popularize in the early 1800s.
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.
