John James Audubon

Wild Turkey
John James Audubon, 1829
AUDUBON, John James (1785-1851), after. – LIZARS, William H. (1788-1859).
Great American Hen & Young (Plate VI)
Meleagris Gallopavo
Variant 1, engraved by Lizars, issued before Havell took over the project. "Painting and plate depict a hen and her nine chicks ... Bird guides describe the male as having a 'beard' on his breast, while the female is less likely to have one. Note that although it is difficult to see in the painting, in the plate this female clearly has a beard, although it is not as luxuriant as that of the male in Plate 1. Audubon began this painting in 1820 on his way down the Mississippi, worked on it from time to time thereafter, and finished it sometime later" (Low pp.31-32). Only the first ten plates of The Birds exist in variants engraved by Lizars, the first to work on the project. After the first part was issued, Lizars' staff of colorists went on strike.
Engraving with hand-coloring, and etching, on watermarked J Whatman Turkey Mill paper, date obscured. Sheet size 958 x 641mm. (Narrow edge-chipping, mostly to top edge where disbound, lower margin trimmed and extended with later paper, Lizars' imprint trimmed off, subtitle with Latin name trimmed to letters and re-pasted below title.) Matted.