Birds of a Bronzed Audubon Feather Number 1
by Aberjhani
Title
Birds of a Bronzed Audubon Feather Number 1
Artist
Aberjhani
Medium
Mixed Media - Fine Art Digital Painting + Mixed Media
Description
WHITE-HEADED SEA EAGLE WITH CATFISH 2022
Bird lovers and environmentalists around the world hold the name John James Audubon (1785-1851) in high esteem. When we look at the treasured body of his work, including numerous paintings and drawings of birds found in America, it’s easy to see why. Published within his1838 volume were 435 hand-colored engravings of 1,065 birds of 489 species. He is celebrated today as a naturalist, ornithologist, and painter.
Because Audubon’s original works still stand well enough on their own, I wanted to create modern visual interpretations which pay tribute to his visionary artistry. This first series canvas, Birds of a Bronzed Audubon Feather Number 1 White-headed Sea Eagle 2022, is modeled after the naturalist’s 1828 hand-colored engraving titled “White-headed Sea Eagle.” Scholars will rightly note that the original artwork consists only of the eagle appearing to clutch what looks like a huge catfish atop a stone slab with a sparse background suggesting the sea and land in the distance.
My 2022 version shades the original with sepia tones to symbolize the enduring value of Audubon’s work. The core image is framed by a collage of mixed media textures, digital painting, and digital photography to create a surrealistic landscape indicating fluctuating dimensions of time and space.
Many consider Audubon’s legacy particularly significant in our modern times as we battle against environmental injustice and climate change. Ironically, he disagreed with the choice to make the eagle America’s national emblem because of what he described as the bird’s tendency to steal prey captured by other birds. They were plentiful in his lifetime but have gone on and off endangered species lists over the last few decades.
Aberjhani
Uploaded
November 20th, 2022
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Comments (3)
Laurie's Intuitive
Very beautiful rendering, Aberjhani! Love the textures and your very meaningful description. The Audobon legacy is close to my heart. I live 2 miles from one, and my Dad donated land to them years ago. So interesting that he did not agree with the choice of America's national emblem. Wonderful artwork!
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