Night hawk (1827–1838)

John James Audubon is the artist behind "Night hawk", dated 1827–1838. Context for 1827–1838: Landscape gained new prestige through groups such as the Barbizon painters in France and the Hudson River School in the United States, and by mid-century Realism turned to ordinary people and everyday labour. The invention of lithography around 1796 and its spread in these decades made printed images cheaper and more varied. It is listed in the Plants & Animals collection. The image is in portrait orientation. Plants & Animals, a short history: Images of plants and animals run from medieval herbals and bestiaries to the scientific illustration of the seventeenth to nineteenth centuries. Naturalists and artists often worked together, especially on voyages and in published surveys of flora and fauna.

Buying "Night hawk" means getting a digital file, not a physical print: Digital JPEG + PDF files, 300 DPI, delivered by email once payment is confirmed. A 300 DPI file is intended for printing at home or at a local print shop, where you can choose a matte, satin, or fine-art paper to suit the room. A portrait format suits narrow wall spaces, hallways, and the area beside a door or window. A simple frame with a mat often helps an image settle comfortably into a room. Screens and printers render colour differently, so a small test print is a sensible way to check tones before committing to a large size. Hang the print away from direct sunlight, which over the years can fade any printed colour. Choosing a standard frame size and printing to fit it often saves the cost of custom framing.

American, 1785–1851

If you like the visual language of John James Audubon, explore more works by the same artist in our collection.