John James Audubon (April 26, 1785 – January 27, 1851) was an American ornithologist, naturalist, hunter, and painter. He painted, catalogued, and described the birds of North America.
he worked as a naturalist and taxidermist at a museum, Audubon with his gun, paintbox, and assistant Joseph Mason, traveled south on the Mississippi. He had made the commitment to himself to find and paint all the birds of North America for eventual publication.
His goal was to surpass the earlier ornithological work of poet-naturalist Alexander Wilson, who by coincidence had tried to solicit Audubon for a subscription in 1810. At that time, Audubon denied to Wilson that he had the same ambition. Though he couldn't afford it, Audubon used Wilson's work to guide him when he had access to a copy.
Audubon moved on to New Orleans in the spring of 1821 and lived for a time at 706 Barracks Street. That summer, he moved upriver to the Oakley Plantation in the Felicianas to teach drawing to Eliza Pirrie, the young daughter of the owners.
Audubon moved on to New Orleans in the spring of 1821 and lived for a time at 706 Barracks Street. That summer, he moved upriver to the Oakley Plantation in the Felicianas to teach drawing to Eliza Pirrie, the young daughter of the owners.
The job was ideal, though low paying, letting him spend much of his time roaming and painting in the woods. (The plantation, located at 11788 Highway 965, between Jackson and St. Francisville, is now Audubon State Historic Site. He was now calling his future work Birds of America. He attempted to paint one page each day. As he painted voraciously with newly discovered technique, he realized that his earlier paintings were of inferior quality and he re-did them. He also hired hunters to gather specimens for him. Audubon also came to realize that the ambitious project would take him away from his family for months at a time as he crossed the continent.
As he roved to nearby towns, Audubon also made charcoal portraits on demand at $5 each and gave drawing lessons.
As he roved to nearby towns, Audubon also made charcoal portraits on demand at $5 each and gave drawing lessons.
He took lessons in oil painting technique in 1823 from John Steen, previously a teacher of American landscape and history painter Thomas Cole. Though he didn't employ oils very much for his bird work, Audubon did some lucrative oil portraits for patrons along the Mississippi. Fortunately, Lucy became the steady breadwinner for the couple and their two young sons. Trained as a teacher, she conducted classes for children out of her home, and later became a local teacher and took up residence, with her children, with a wealthy plantation owner in Louisiana.
Audubon returned to Philadelphia in 1824 to seek a publisher for his bird drawings. Though he made the acquaintance of Thomas Sully, one of the most famous portrait painters of the time and a valuable ally, but was rebuffed, in part because he had earned the enmity of some of the city's leading scientists at the Academy of Natural Sciences. He did take oil painting lessons from Sully and met Charles Bonaparte, who admired his work and recommended that he go to Europe to have his bird drawings engraved.
Audubon returned to Philadelphia in 1824 to seek a publisher for his bird drawings. Though he made the acquaintance of Thomas Sully, one of the most famous portrait painters of the time and a valuable ally, but was rebuffed, in part because he had earned the enmity of some of the city's leading scientists at the Academy of Natural Sciences. He did take oil painting lessons from Sully and met Charles Bonaparte, who admired his work and recommended that he go to Europe to have his bird drawings engraved.
