Great American Shrike or Butcher Bird

Art Historical Context

Behold the *Great American Shrike or Bird* (1834), a stunning hand-colored engraving and aquint by Robert Havell after John James Audubon’s original watercolor. This print captures the fierce shrike—a songbird known as the "butcher bird" for its grisly habit of impaling prey on or barbed wire like a pantry larder—perched dramatically amid a natural vignette of insects and a lizard. Produced on fine Whatman wove paper, it exemplifies the double-elephant folio scale of Audubon’s monumental *The Birds of America* (1827–1838), where birds appear life-sized to convey their vitality. Havell’s masterful engraving techniques, combined with aquatint for subtle tones and meticulous hand-coloring by studio artists, brought Audubon’s dynamic compositions to vivid life. Audubon, a self-taught Franco-American naturalist, roamed the American wilderness to sketch over 400 species in bold, naturalistic poses, revolutionizing ornithological illustration by blending art and science. Housed in the National Gallery of Art as a gift from Mrs. Walter B. James, this print highlights 19th-century natural history art’s cultural role: educating the public on America’s biodiversity while fueling conservation awareness. Its precision and drama make it a timeless gem for bird lovers and art enthusiasts alike.

About the Artist

Robert Havell after John James Audubon

Robert Havell Jr., born on November 25, 1793, in Reading, Berkshire, England, was the son of renowned engraver and publisher Robert Havell Sr. and Lydia Miller Phillips. Growing up in a family of artists that included notable engravers and etchers, he trained under his father, mastering aquatint techniques early on. Though briefly estranged from the family business, Havell reconciled with his fath...