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John James Audubon : “American Flamingo” (Birds of America, Plate #431)

Museum Quality Giclée on Fine Art Paper

  • Matte Finish does not pick up glare from interior lighting
  • Smooth Surface maximizes sharpness and preserves detail
  • Accent Borders display the artwork uncropped and ready to mat
  • In-house Printing assures artistic quality standards

In December 2010, The Economist magazine estimated that, when adjusting for inflation, five of the ten highest prices ever paid for printed books were paid for copies of John James Audubon’s Birds of America. Consisting of 435 life-sized plates (later expanded to 500), the monumental work has become an icon of natural history illustration, described by Christie’s as “the greatest of all bird books, [and] arguably the highest achievement of ornithological art.”

Born in the French colony of Saint-Domingue (now Haiti), Audubon emigrated to the United States in 1803. By 1820 his interest in natural history developed into a stated intention to paint every bird in North America. In an era before photography, accurate representation of wild birds required the collection of dead specimens, but rather than drawing these in stiff positions, Audubon used threads or wire to pose the birds as he had observed them in the field.

Finding support from American publishers lacking, he traveled to the United Kingdom in 1826, where he partnered with the animal engraver Robert Havell Jr. and his father, Robert Havell Sr. The original double elephant folio, or Havell Edition of Birds of America (from which this print is reproduced), measured 39.5 inches tall by 28.5 inches wide, and was funded by subscription; sets of five prints being issued every month or two. From 1827-1838, they published the complete series of 435 prints at the expense of $115,640 (or more than $2 million in today’s money), employing a team of over fifty colorists who worked in assembly line fashion.

In the process of creating one of the world’s most beautiful books, Audubon also contributed significantly to the understanding of bird anatomy and behavior, identifying 25 new species and documenting six that have since gone extinct. He is quoted three times in Darwin’s On the Origin of the Species.

Product Information

Expect crisp detail and vivid color from our giclée process fine art prints. We use archival pigment inks on cotton fiber paper to achieve a wide color gamut, deep blacks and beautiful tonal transitions. Unlike posters, they will not fade or yellow, but maintain their original quality for as long as you own them.

How to Frame

Historical artworks were produced in whatever shapes and sizes best suited the artists and their patrons, and these rarely correspond to the proportions of modern, mass-produced frames. Most reproductions sold on the web are cropped to an arbitrary standard, compromising the integrity of the original artwork. We solve this by using accent borders to make up any differences in proportion.

Framing may be as simple as inserting the print into a standard size frame with the borders showing. In many cases, our customers choose to have them matted. Borders allow space for framers to mount the print while covering little, if any, of the artwork. Our images are sized to provide desirable mat widths in common frames.

Sizes 9” x 12”, 12” x 16”, and 16” x 20” are designed to be matted in larger frames, such as 11” x 14”, 16” x 20” and 20” x 24”, respectively. Larger prints may be matted in frames of equal size, the borders corresponding to the shape of the mat. Where the artwork is unusually square or narrow, other sizes may be preferred.

If our sizing does not meet your requirements, we provide customization free of charge. Please contact us to discuss the details.

Shipping and Returns

All orders ship within one business day. The following services are available at checkout:

United States
 
Shipping Class Price Estimated Delivery Window
USPS First Class Parcel Free 3 – 5 business days
USPS Priority Mail $3.99 2 – 4 business days
USPS Priority Mail Express $29.99 1 – 3 days, guaranteed
Canada *
 
Shipping Class Price Estimated Delivery Window
USPS First Class International $11.99 1 – 3 weeks
USPS Priority Mail Express $56.99 3 – 5 business days
International, Excluding Canada *
 
Shipping Class Price Estimated Delivery Window
USPS First Class International $17.99 1 – 4 weeks
USPS Priority Mail Express $62.99 3 – 5 business days

* International orders may be subject to import taxes at time of delivery.

Returns Policy

If you are unhappy with your order for any reason, you are welcome to return it within 60 days for a full refund. Please contact us and return your item(s) to: The Ibis 809 Grant Street Endicott, NY 13760

Your return will be processed on receipt.
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