John James Audubon

THE NAME AUDUBON is today universally recognized and honored. The organization that bears his name and his many hundreds of illustrations have brought him international fame. His paintings are treasured today for their beauty as for their contributions to our understanding of the natural world. As is true of so many artistic souls, John James Audubon struggles for years to find acceptance. His task is doubled in that he must find respect for his artistic talent as well as for his...
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THE NAME AUDUBON is today universally recognized and honored. The organization that bears his name and his many hundreds of illustrations have brought him international fame. His paintings are treasured today for their beauty as for their contributions to our understanding of the natural world. As is true of so many artistic souls, John James Audubon struggles for years to find acceptance. His task is doubled in that he must find respect for his artistic talent as well as for his realistic renderings of natural creatures in their habitats. A poor businessman, he establishes and fails numerous concerns-often because he expends so much of his time and energy hunting and painting his specimens. His constant is the love of his wife Lucy and their children. It is Lucy who often provides the financial support of the family while her husband is away scouring the woods and swamps, exhibiting his work, and soliciting subscriptions from the wealthy for his publications. His journey to fame is fraught with setbacks-hundreds of paintings destroyed, long fruitless journeys, reneging supporters. But he lives an adventurous life, makes the acquaintance and earns the esteem of some of the most important personalities of his time, and leaves a legacy that will assure his fame for many years to come.