This is a painting of two American Pied-bill Dobchicks swimming in a body of water surrounded by lush greenery. The painting depicts two birds swimming closely together, their sleek brown and white bodies partially submerged in the water. They have sharp beaks and are positioned in a dynamic diagonal that guides the viewer's eye from the foreground to the background, through a lush array of green, leaf-filled plants. The background is rich with dense vegetation, featuring long, elegant reeds and a small branch with a slightly twisted form adding variety to the scene.
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This is a painting of two American Pied-bill Dobchicks swimming in a body of water surrounded by lush greenery. The painting depicts two birds swimming closely together, their sleek brown and white bodies partially submerged in the water. They have sharp beaks and are positioned in a dynamic diagonal that guides the viewer's eye from the foreground to the background, through a lush array of green, leaf-filled plants. The background is rich with dense vegetation, featuring long, elegant reeds and a small branch with a slightly twisted form adding variety to the scene.

National Gallery of Art · Print

American Pied-Bill Dobchick

Robert Havell after John James Audubon

Date
1835
Medium
hand-colored engraving and aquatint on Whatman wove paper
Classification
Print
Accession number
1945.8.248
Credit line
Gift of Mrs. Walter B. James
Time span
1826 to 1850
Department
CG-W

Portfolio and series

Series
The Birds of America: Plate CCXLVIII

Subjects and terms

  • American
  • etching
  • aquatint
  • plant
  • bird
  • animal
  • Water
  • Leaf
  • Grass

NGA object ID 32389. Collection metadata is reproduced under CC0. This work is included because its NGA published-image record is marked open access; visitors should recheck the source record before substantial reuse.