Reviews

This enjoyable read weaves parallel themes of art, science, and bird-watching into a survey of ornithological art from early representations in the mid-1600s to the present day. Elphick, a popular British writer, broadcaster, and zoologist, details the evolution of the form, from Sarah Stone's fanciful illustrations to the observational images of Dr. Ferdinand Lucas Bauer, and also considers the development of different media, such as watercolors, woodcuts, engravings, etching techniques, and lithography. He also includes biographical sketches for such significant bird artists as the English painter Edward Lear and the famous American John James Audubon, whose dramatic Birds of America transcends the ornithological. The book is divided chronologically into four segments: "Engravers & Explorers 1600-1800," "Audubon to the First Lithographers 1800-1850," "The Golden Age of Lithography 1850-1890," and "An Age of Transition 1890-Today." Each chapter provides a textual summary followed by a series of lavish color plates (300 total) drawn from the repository of images in London's Natural History Museum. Patrons looking for further reading on the subject may wish to consult last year's beautiful and informative Audubon's Elephant by Duff Hart-Davis. Recommended for natural history, museum, and large public library collections.-Ellen Bates, New York Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.