Snowy Owl

Lot 118
08.06.2023 10:00UTC +00:00
Classic
Sold
£ 88 200
AuctioneerCHRISTIE'S
Event locationUnited Kingdom, London
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ID 965004
Lot 118 | Snowy Owl
Estimate value
£ 40 000 – 60 000
Snowy Owl
John James Audubon (1785-1851)
AFTER JOHN JAMES AUDUBON (1785-1851)
BY ROBERT HAVELL (1793-1878)

Snowy Owl (Plate CXXI)
Strix nyctea

One of only three night scenes depicted in The Birds of America (the others are the Barn Owl and the American White Pelican), although 'Since Audubon was aware that Snowy Owls typically hunt during the day or early evening, he likely wished the setting in this composition to represent the dusk of a gathering storm rather than a nightscape' (Blaugrund and Stebbins, p.184). Nonetheless, the dramatic background heightens the contrast with the birds' plumage and their stark perch of a dead tree trunk to superb decorative effect.

Hand-coloured engraving with aquatint and etching, on wove paper watermarked 'J Whatman 1831', trimmed unevenly into plate mark, with loss to number at top-left and just touching the lower caption.Sheet: 37 3/8 x 24 3/4 in. (950 x 629 mm)
Address of auction CHRISTIE'S
8 King Street, St. James's
SW1Y 6QT London
United Kingdom
Preview
08.06.2023
Phone +44 (0)20 7839 9060
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