Art - Overview
The National Museum of American History is not an art museum. But works of art fill its collections and testify to the vital place of art in everyday American life. The ceramics collections hold hundreds of examples of American and European art glass and pottery. Fashion sketches, illustrations, and prints are part of the costume collections. Donations from ethnic and cultural communities include many homemade religious ornaments, paintings, and figures. The Harry T Peters "America on Stone" collection alone comprises some 1,700 color prints of scenes from the 1800s. The National Quilt Collection is art on fabric. And the tools of artists and artisans are part of the Museum's collections, too, in the form of printing plates, woodblock tools, photographic equipment, and potters' stamps, kilns, and wheels.
"Art - Overview" showing 34 items.
Page 1 of 4
Horned Grebe
- Description
- Robert Havell Jr.'s 1835 engraving for John James Audubon's publication the Birds of America, was published in Britain between 1827 and 1838 as a series of large folio engravings. The Museum's Graphic Arts Collection includes seven of the original copper plates and prints from several editions of the work.
- The Birds of America was published in several formats. The first large folio edition was intended for wealthy patrons or institutions. Later editions, produced in the United States for a more general audience, included text and smaller, less costly lithographic illustrations.
- Audubon introduced new species and new artistic forms. His dramatic images of birds, pictured life-size in animated poses with realistic backgrounds, represented a departure from the conventions of natural history illustration. His artistic ingenuity, as reproduced in engravings and lithographs, won new audiences for the subject of nature study, eventually leading to the organization of Audubon societies.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Date made
- 1835
- referenced
- Havell, Jr., Robert
- Audubon, John James
- original artist
- Audubon, John James
- graphic artist
- Havell, Jr., Robert
- ID Number
- 2006.0021.01
- accession number
- 2006.0021
- catalog number
- 2006.0021.01
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Horned Grebe
- Description
- Robert Havell Jr. engraved this copper plate in 1835 for John James Audubon's publication, the Birds of America, published in Britain between 1827 and 1838 as a series of large folio engravings. The Museum's Graphic Arts Collection includes seven of the original copper plates and prints from several editions of the work.
- The Birds of America was published in several formats. The first large folio edition was intended for wealthy patrons or institutions. Later editions, produced in the United States for a more general audience, included text and smaller, less costly lithographic illustrations.
- Audubon introduced new species and new artistic forms. His dramatic images of birds, pictured life-size in animated poses with realistic backgrounds, represented a departure from the conventions of natural history illustration. His artistic ingenuity, as reproduced in engravings and lithographs, won new audiences for the subject of nature study, eventually leading to the organization of Audubon societies.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Date made
- 1835
- referenced
- Havell, Jr., Robert
- Audubon, John James
- original artist
- Audubon, John James
- graphic artist
- Havell, Jr., Robert
- ID Number
- GA*00927
- accession number
- 1884.015094
- catalog number
- 00927
- accession number
- 15094
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Whooping Crane, Grus Americana
- Description
- Robert Havell Jr. engraved this copper plate in 1834 for John James Audubon's publication, Birds of America, published in Britain between 1827 and 1838 as a series of large folio engravings. The Museum's Graphic Arts Collection includes seven of the original copper plates and prints from a number of editions of the work.
- Birds of America was published in several formats. The first large folio edition was intended for wealthy patrons or institutions. Later editions, produced in the United States. for a more general audience, included text and smaller, less costly lithographic illustrations.
- Audubon introduced new species and new artistic forms. His dramatic images of birds, pictured life-size in animated poses with realistic backgrounds, represented a departure from the conventions of natural history illustration. His artistic ingenuity, as reproduced in engravings and lithographs, won new audiences for the subject of nature study, eventually leading to the organization of Audubon societies.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Date made
- 1834
- referenced
- Audubon, John James
- Havell, Jr., Robert
- graphic artist
- Havell, Jr., Robert
- original artist
- Audubon, John James
- ID Number
- GA*16984
- catalog number
- 16984
- accession number
- 15996
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Hooping Crane, Grus Americana (Young)
- Description
- Robert Havell Jr. engraved this copper plate in 1835 for John James Audubon's publication, Birds of America, published in Britain between 1827 and 1838 as a series of large folio engravings. The Museum's Graphic Arts Collection includes seven of the original copper plates and prints from several editions of the work.
- Birds of America was published in several formats. The first large folio edition was intended for wealthy patrons or institutions. Later editions, produced in the United States for a more general audience, included text and smaller, less costly lithographic illustrations.
- Audubon introduced new species and new artistic forms. His dramatic images of birds, pictured life-size in animated poses with realistic backgrounds, represented a departure from the conventions of natural history illustration. His artistic ingenuity, as reproduced in engravings and lithographs, won new audiences for the subject of nature study, eventually leading to the organization of Audubon societies.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Date made
- 1835
- referenced
- Audubon, John James
- Havell, Jr., Robert
- original artist
- Audubon, John James
- graphic artist
- Havell, Jr., Robert
- ID Number
- GA*16986
- accession number
- 15996
- catalog number
- 16986
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Lepus Texianus, Aud. & Bach.
- Description (Brief)
- This hand-colored lithograph was produced for “Viviparous Quadrupeds of North America,” the Imperial folio edition, published between 1845 and 1848. The work was a field study of North American mammals. It included 150 stone lithographs produced in three volumes of 50 prints per volume. The lithographs were based on watercolor drawings by John James Audubon and after 1846, son John Woodhouse Audubon, who completed the series due to the elder Audubon’s failing eyesight and declining health. Another son, Victor Gifford Audubon, assisted with the drawings backgrounds. The lithographs were printed on non-watermarked heavy white paper and coloring was applied by hand before the prints were bound. Reverend John Bachman was a naturalist of note, as well as John James Audubon’s friend and father of both daughter-in-laws, so he provided the accompanying letterpress narrative. It made the production truly a family affair. The slightly later Octavo edition contained 155 prints of smaller size.
- This unbound lithographic plate depicts a hand-colored image of a brown hare with mottled markings crouched among low grasses.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1848
- artist
- Audubon, John Woodhouse
- printer
- Bowen, John T.
- publisher
- Audubon, John James
- ID Number
- DL*60.2742
- catalog number
- 60.2742
- accession number
- 228146
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Tarandus Furcifer, Agassiz
- Description (Brief)
- This hand-colored lithograph was produced for “Viviparous Quadrupeds of North America,” the Imperial folio edition, published between 1845 and 1848. The work was a field study of North American mammals. It included 150 stone lithographs produced in three volumes of 50 prints per volume. The lithographs were based on watercolor drawings by John James Audubon and after 1846, son John Woodhouse Audubon, who completed the series due to the elder Audubon’s failing eyesight and declining health. Another son, Victor Gifford Audubon, assisted with the drawings backgrounds. The lithographs were printed on non-watermarked heavy white paper and coloring was applied by hand before the prints were bound. Reverend John Bachman was a naturalist of note, as well as John James Audubon’s friend and father of both daughter-in-laws, so he provided the accompanying letterpress narrative. It made the production truly a family affair. The slightly later Octavo edition contained 155 prints of smaller size.
- This unbound lithographic plate depicts a hand-colored image of two male reindeer on boulders, with forested foothills in the background. One is in summer pelage (coat) the other in winter pelage (coat).
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1847
- artist
- Audubon, John Woodhouse
- printer
- Bowen, John T.
- publisher
- Audubon, John James
- ID Number
- DL*60.2734
- catalog number
- 60.2734
- accession number
- 228146
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Canis Lupus, Linn (Var Albus)
- Description (Brief)
- This hand-colored lithograph was produced for “Viviparous Quadrupeds of North America,” the Imperial folio edition, published between 1845 and 1848. The work was a field study of North American mammals. It included 150 stone lithographs produced in three volumes of 50 prints per volume. The lithographs were based on watercolor drawings by John James Audubon and after 1846, son John Woodhouse Audubon, who completed the series due to the elder Audubon’s failing eyesight and declining health. Another son, Victor Gifford Audubon, assisted with the drawings backgrounds. The lithographs were printed on non-watermarked heavy white paper and coloring was applied by hand before the prints were bound. Reverend John Bachman was a naturalist of note, as well as John James Audubon’s friend and father of both daughter-in-laws, so he provided the accompanying letterpress narrative. It made the production truly a family affair. The slightly later Octavo edition contained 155 prints of smaller size.
- This unbound lithographic plate depicts a hand-colored image of a white male wolf crouching in a clearing and chewing on a bone.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1845
- printer
- Bowen, John T.
- artist; publisher
- Audubon, John James
- ID Number
- DL*60.2735
- catalog number
- 60.2735
- accession number
- 228146
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Feles Concolor, Linn
- Description (Brief)
- This hand-colored lithograph was produced for “Viviparous Quadrupeds of North America,” the Imperial folio edition, published between 1845 and 1848. The work was a field study of North American mammals. It included 150 stone lithographs produced in three volumes of 50 prints per volume. The lithographs were based on watercolor drawings by John James Audubon and after 1846, son John Woodhouse Audubon, who completed the series due to the elder Audubon’s failing eyesight and declining health. Another son, Victor Gifford Audubon, assisted with the drawings backgrounds. The lithographs were printed on non-watermarked heavy white paper and coloring was applied by hand before the prints were bound. Reverend John Bachman was a naturalist of note, as well as John James Audubon’s friend and father of both daughter-in-laws, so he provided the accompanying letterpress narrative. It made the production truly a family affair. The slightly later Octavo edition contained 155 prints of smaller size.
- This unbound lithographic plate depicts a hand-colored image of a brown male cougar standing over his felled prey. Forested mountains in the background.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1846
- artist
- Audubon, John Woodhouse
- printer
- Bowen, John T.
- publisher
- Audubon, John James
- ID Number
- DL*60.2736
- catalog number
- 60.2736
- accession number
- 228146
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Ovibos Moschatus, Gmel
- Description (Brief)
- This hand-colored lithograph was produced for “Viviparous Quadrupeds of North America,” the Imperial folio edition, published between 1845 and 1848. The work was a field study of North American mammals. It included 150 stone lithographs produced in three volumes of 50 prints per volume. The lithographs were based on watercolor drawings by John James Audubon and after 1846, son John Woodhouse Audubon, who completed the series due to the elder Audubon’s failing eyesight and declining health. Another son, Victor Gifford Audubon, assisted with the drawings backgrounds. The lithographs were printed on non-watermarked heavy white paper and coloring was applied by hand before the prints were bound. Reverend John Bachman was a naturalist of note, as well as John James Audubon’s friend and father of both daughter-in-laws, so he provided the accompanying letterpress narrative. It made the production truly a family affair. The slightly later Octavo edition contained 155 prints of smaller size.
- This unbound lithographic plate depicts a hand-colored image of two male musk oxen standing on a grassy plateau with rocky mountains in the background.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1847
- artist
- Audubon, John Woodhouse
- printer
- Bowen, John T.
- publisher
- Audubon, John James
- ID Number
- DL*60.2737
- catalog number
- 60.2737
- accession number
- 228146
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Myodes Hudsonius, Rich
- Description (Brief)
- This hand-colored lithograph was produced for “Viviparous Quadrupeds of North America,” the Imperial folio edition, published between 1845 and 1848. The work was a field study of North American mammals. It included 150 stone lithographs produced in three volumes of 50 prints per volume. The lithographs were based on watercolor drawings by John James Audubon and after 1846, son John Woodhouse Audubon, who completed the series due to the elder Audubon’s failing eyesight and declining health. Another son, Victor Gifford Audubon, assisted with the drawings backgrounds. The lithographs were printed on non-watermarked heavy white paper and coloring was applied by hand before the prints were bound. Reverend John Bachman was a naturalist of note, as well as John James Audubon’s friend and father of both daughter-in-laws, so he provided the accompanying letterpress narrative. It made the production truly a family affair. The slightly later Octavo edition contained 155 prints of smaller size.
- This unbound lithographic plate depicts a hand-colored image of a large white lemming and a smaller brown lemming crouching on boulders amidst wildflowers.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1847
- artist
- Audubon, John Woodhouse
- printer
- Bowen, John T.
- publisher
- Audubon, John James
- ID Number
- DL*60.2738
- catalog number
- 60.2738
- accession number
- 228146
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center