Artwork

Pinnated Grous, Blue-green Warbler, and Nashville Warbler

Pinnated Grous, Blue-green Warbler, and Nashville Warbler, by Alexander Lawson, ink, 1811
Pinnated Grous, Blue-green Warbler, and Nashville Warbler, by Alexander Lawson, ink, 1811

Pinnated Grous, Blue-green Warbler, and Nashville Warbler is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Alexander Lawson. It dates from 1811 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Pinnated Grous, Blue-green Warbler, and Nashville Warbler is a hand-colored engraving with etching on wove paper, executed by Alexander Lawson in 1811.

Subject & Meaning

The print depicts three birds in a naturalistic setting: a central pinnated grouse with distinctive speckled feathers and a prominent yellow eye, accompanied by a blue and white Nashville Warbler and a yellow and gray Blue-green Warbler above, amidst minimal rocky and watery background elements.

Technique & Style

The artwork showcases meticulous attention to detail, particularly in the grouse’s textured feathers achieved through fine lines. The composition reflects a style emphasizing close observation of nature, characteristic of early 19th-century natural history illustrations.

History & Provenance

Created in 1811 by Alexander Lawson, specific provenance details (ownership history) are not provided in the available information.

Context

This engraving aligns with the contemporary practice of using etching and hand-coloring for precise and detailed representations of flora and fauna, facilitating scientific study and documentation.

Artist & collection

This work is in the public domain (CC0). Image source: National Gallery of Art open access. Spotted an error in this record? Tell us.