Robert Havell, Jr.
American Flamingo

ArtistAmerican, born Santo Domingo, 1785–1851
CultureEnglish
Titles
  • American Flamingo
Date1838
PlaceLondon, England
MediumEtching and aquatint with watercolor on wove paper
DimensionsSheet: 38 × 24 7/8 in. (96.5 × 63.2 cm)
Frame: 45 7/8 × 32 1/4 in. (116.5 × 81.9 cm)
Credit LineThe Bayou Bend Collection, gift of Miss Ima Hogg
Object numberB.71.5
Not on view

Explore Further

Department
Bayou Bend
Object Type
DescriptionArtist, naturalist, and ornithologist John James Audubon was born in the French colony of Saint-Domingue in present-day Haiti. At the age of eighteen, he immigrated to the United States. His most important work, The Birds of America, included 435 engraved plates based on his watercolors that were issued between 1827 and 1838. The plates were printed on the largest sheets of paper then available in order to preserve the life-sized images.
Provenance[The Old Print Shop, New York]; purchased by Miss Ima Hogg, 1951; given to MFAH, 1971.
Exhibition HistoryResidence of the Vice President of the United States, Washington, D.C., January 5, 1981–January 18, 1989 (LN81.10)

Petit Museum of the Theta Charity Antiques Show, September 18–23, 1996, Houston, TX (LN:96.36)

Inscriptions, Signatures and Marks
Inscribed upper left: No.[o superscript with period[.] underneath] 87
Inscribed upper right: PLATE CCCCXXXI
Inscribed below image, center: Drawn from Nature by J. J. Audubon, F. R. S. F. L. S. Engraved, Printed and Coloured by Robt Havell. 1838. / American Flamingo. / PHOENICOPTERUS RUBER.Linn. / Old Male.
Inscribed below image, left: 1._Profile view of Bill at its greatest extension. / 2._Superior front view of upper Mandible. / 3._Interior front view of upper Mandible. / 4._Inferior front view of lower Mandible. / 5._Interior front view of lower Mandible with the Tongue in.
Inscribed below image, right: 6._Profile view of Tongue. / 7._Superior front view of Tongue. / 8._Inferior front view of Tongue. / 9._Perpendicular front view of the foot fully expanded.
Watermark in upper left corner: J WHATMAN

Cataloguing data may change with further research.

If you have questions about this work of art or the MFAH Online Collection please contact us.

Roseate Spoonbill
Robert Havell, Jr.
1836
Etching and aquatint with watercolor on wove paper
B.75.60
Boat-tailed Grackle
Robert Havell, Jr.
1834
Aquatint, etching, engraving, and watercolor on wove paper
B.71.4
Louisiana Heron
Robert Havell, Jr.
1834
Aquatint, etching, engraving, and watercolor on wove paper
B.71.2
Mississippi Kite
Robert Havell, Jr.
1838
Etching and aquatint with engraving and watercolor on wove paper
B.79.188
View of West Point, United States Military Academy
Robert Havell, Jr.
1848
Aquatint, etching, and engraving with watercolor on wove paper
B.89.16
White-Winged Silvery Gull
Robert Havell, Jr.
1835
Etching and aquatint with watercolor on wove paper
2004.8
Four Birds: Yellow Billed Magpie; Steller's Jay; Ultramarine Jay; Clark's Crow
John James Audubon
c. 1830–1848
Etching, aquatint and engraving with watercolor and gouache on wove paper
B.71.3
Wild Turkey
William Home Lizars
c. 1827–1832
Etching, aquatint and engraving with watercolor and gouache on wove paper
B.73.3
U.S. Frigate Constitution, of 44 Guns
Abel Bowen
c. 1812
Engraving and aquatint with etching and watercolor on wove paper
B.2010.19
Battle of New Orleans and Death of Major General Packenham
Joseph Yeager
c. 1815–1816
Etching, engraving, aquatint, and watercolor on wove paper, state I
B.91.47
Scalptanz der Mönnitarris Danse du scalp des indiens Meunitarris
Karl Bodmer
c. 1843–1844
Aquatint, etching, drypoint, roulette, watercolor and gum arabic on wove paper
B.2002.38
View near Hudson
John Hill
1822
Aquatint, etching, and watercolor on wove paper
B.2003.12