John James Audubon
John James Audubon
John James Audubonwas an American ornithologist, naturalist, and painter. He was notable for his extensive studies documenting all types of American birds and for his detailed illustrations that depicted the birds in their natural habitats. His major work, a color-plate book entitled The Birds of America, is considered one of the finest ornithological works ever completed. Audubon identified 25 new species...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionScientist
Date of Birth26 April 1785
CountryUnited States of America
To repay evils with kindness is the religion I was taught to practise, and this will forever be my rule.
To be a good draftsman was to me a blessing.
I never for a day gave up listening to the songs of our birds, or watching their peculiar habits, or delineating them in the best way I could.
The fact is I am growing old too fast, alas! I feel it, and yet work I will, and may God grant me life to see the last plate of my mammoth work finished.
[Drawing should be] a journey of pleasure. Each step must present to the travellers' view objects that are eminently interesting, varied in their appearances, and attracting to such a degree as to excite in each individual thus happily employed the desire of knowing all respecting all he sees.
I looked long and carefully at the picture of a stag painted by Landseer - the style was good, and the brush was handled with fine effect, but he fails in copying Nature, without which the best work will be a failure.
Hunting, fishing, drawing, and music occupied my every moment. Cares I knew not, and cared naught about them.
When the bird and the book disagree, believe the bird.
Never give up listening to the sounds of birds.
In my deepest troubles, I frequently would wrench myself from the persons around me and retire to some secluded part of our noble forests.
During all these years there existed within me a tendency to follow Nature in her walks.
The gay bunting erects his white crest, and gives utterance to the joy he feels in the presence of his brooding mate; the willow grouse on the rock crows his challenge aloud; each floweret, chilled by the night air, expands its pure petals; the gentle breeze shakes from the blades of grass the heavy dewdrops.
Ah! How often when I have been abroad on the mountains has my heart risen in grateful praise to God that it was not my destiny to waste and pine among those noisome congregations of the city.
The Golden Eagle, which has universally been considered as a bird of most extraordinary powers of flight, is in my estimation little more than a sluggard, though its wings are long and ample.