Birds of America: Audubon Prints From Shelburne Museum August 3, 2011

'Birds of America' is widely recognized by art historians and naturalists alike as the greatest natural history publication of all time. Between 1819 and 1838, John James Audubon and his engraver Robert Havell produced 435 hand-colored and engraved plates of scope and standard never before seen in ornithological recording. Thirty prints have been selected from the collection at Shelburne Museum to demonstrate the duality of Audubon's work as both artistic compositions and scientific documentation. This exhibition features some of Audubon's most desirable illustrations, admired for their life-size scale, compelling backgrounds, and often dramatic compositions.