Sharp-Tailed Finch

by John James Audubon

Masterful study of field realism in the early 19th century, Audubon's plate of the Sharp-Tailed Finch reveals the great care of the painter in his effort to illustrate the birds in their exact behavioral environment. This wonderful plate features three birds in a story taking place on the beach; one of them sitting watchfully on an empty branch, another standing confidently on a blade of marsh grass while singing through his opened beak, and the last one sitting protectively over his perfectly arranged nest of eggs.

This plate reflects the superb combination of Audubon's initial watercolors and the excellent aquatinting done by Robert Havell. While the lines of the sharply pointed tail feathers look great against the gentle washes used for the atmosphere of the American salt marsh, it is all printed on a quality large handmade rag paper.