Enhydra Marina

Item Information

Title:
Enhydra Marina
Title (alt.):
Enhydra Marina
Description:
Celebrated artist John James Audubon (1785-1841) revolutionized natural history. Best known for his contributions to ornithology, Audubon sought another ambitious project in 1839: cataloging mammals. Spanning fifteen years of work, Audubon's resulting three-volume text The Viviparous Quadrupeds of North America was published posthumously in 1854. To help complete his magnum opus, Audubon enlisted longtime friend John Bachman, an amateur naturalist, who helped classify new species as well as write and edit text. Audubon's elder son, Victor, painted landscape backgrounds for several of the one hundred fifty plates. His younger son, John Woodhouse Audubon, painted more than half of the plates, eventually replacing his father, as John James was forced to retire due to failing health by 1846. Dozens of others, including numerous financial backers and Bachman's artistically talented sister-in-law Maria Martin, aided the Audubon family and ensured the success of the project. All plates were lithographed by John T. Bowen and published between 1845 and 1848. Vivid color and texture portray a lifelike sea otter in Enhydra marina. Drawn from life by John W. Audubon and lithographed by Bowen, the print was initially published in Volume III of The Viviparous Quadrupeds of North America. This giclee print, a reproduction created between 1990 and 1999, captures the naturalistic beauty that fascinated Audubon. In it the piece, a sea otter lounges diagonally across the scene, concocting a dramatic composition. Vibrant colors accentuate the waves and sand, while value shifts within the otter's coat provide the palpable softness of fur. Enhydra marina masterfully recreates Audubon's realistic original.
Artist:
Audubon, John James, 1785-1851
Lithographer:
Bowen, John T., approximately 1801-1856?
Colorist:
Bowen, John T., approximately 1801-1856?
Date:
1990
Format:
Prints
Genre:
color prints (prints)
Location:
Northeastern University Library
Collection (local):
The Viviparous Quadrupeds of North America
Audubon Prints
Subjects:
Enhydra lutris lutris
Sea otter
Enhydra
Animals
Link to Item:
http://hdl.handle.net/2047/d20129198
Terms of Use:
No Copyright. The organization that has made the Item available believes that the Item is in the Public Domain under the laws of the United States, but a determination was not made as to its copyright status under the copyright laws of other countries. The Item may not be in the Public Domain under the laws of other countries. Please refer to the organization that has made the Item available for more information. http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/NoC-US/1.0/
Contact host institution for more information.
Publisher:
New York : John J. Audubon
Identifier:
wildlife_audubon_001