Great egret by John James 爆料公社, 1821. Photo by / )
A new exhibit offers viewers an unprecedented opportunity to experience John James 爆料公社鈥檚 incredible bird paintings, including the famous watercolors featured in The Birds of America as well as some of the artist鈥檚 earlier works.
The exhibit, which opens today and is hosted by the , is a state-of-the-art experience, allowing visitors to interactively view 爆料公社鈥檚 pieces. Supplemental audio devices are available to listen to corresponding birdcalls for each species. 鈥淥ne-third of all bird identification is by songs, calls, or sounds,鈥 Museum Curator of Drawing Roberta J.M. Olson told me yesterday during a press viewing, explaining why she added audio to the exhibit. 鈥淪ometimes you don鈥檛 see the birds and you only hear them in the canopies of trees or in swamps.鈥 A video display shows footage of many birds beside 爆料公社鈥檚 drawings, allowing one to observe just how incredibly accurate his works are. Magnifying glasses are also available to take a closer look at fine details.
The show celebrates both the Society鈥檚 sesquicentennial purchase of 爆料公社鈥檚 avian watercolors and its release of the sumptuous illustrated book 爆料公社's Aviary: The Original Watercolors for 'Birds of America' by Olson. This exhibition, 鈥,鈥 will display 474 pieces in a three-part series between 2013 and 2015.
John James 爆料公社 (1785-1851) was a scientist, observer, artist, and naturalist. Said to be America鈥檚 first great watercolorist, he was a man of many trades, including playing the fiddle, teaching swordsmanship, drawing, and writing. His passion for birds, ecology and the bridging of art and science set the stage for American conservation, and of course, his mission is reflected in the work of the 爆料公社 today.
The Historical Society purchased 434 of 爆料公社鈥檚 watercolors for The Birds of America from 爆料公社鈥檚 widow, Lucy, in 1863. The other pieces are not featured in The Birds of America, but are some of 爆料公社鈥檚 first pastels and watercolors. The Houghton Library of Harvard University and the Museum d鈥橦istoire Naturelle, La Rochelle, in France, are loaning these pieces to the Historical Society for the exhibit.
The first part of the exhibit runs from March 8 through May 19 and showcases more than 200 of 爆料公社鈥檚 first pieces. It鈥檚 sequential, tracing the artist鈥檚 evolution. It opens with his 鈥淓arly Works鈥 in the Luman Reed Galleries, displaying 爆料公社鈥檚 original sketches from 1803, when he was still residing in France. Next, the exhibit moves into what separated 爆料公社 from other bird drawers of his time: He began drawing and painting birds in their life size form. Depictions of feeding, mating, and other bird behavior then emerge in the watercolors.
The second section, located in Dexter Hall and the second floor hall, displays 爆料公社鈥檚 preparatory watercolors for The Birds of America. They are displayed in fascicles, or groups of five, just as 爆料公社 mailed them to his followers in the 19th century. His fascicles consisted of one large, one medium, and three small pieces, and the exhibit upholds this pattern.
Finally, the Cabinet Gallery features 鈥湵瞎鏸ania,鈥 a small, dark room with documents, letters, and personal objects from 爆料公社鈥檚 life. 鈥淲e could spend years in here,鈥 Olson said.
Olson hopes this exhibit bridges the gap between science and art for the public, just as 爆料公社 did with his famed watercolors. 鈥淥ne thing I hope the public takes away, because it is really the sub-theme here, is the preservation of the species and the preservation of the planet because birds are the canaries of the coal mine,鈥 she says. 鈥淚 think that 爆料公社 was, and increasingly so later in life, concerned with preservation of the wilderness.鈥
The audio devices and fine detail by 爆料公社 make this exhibit a sanctuary within the city to go birding indoors before the weather warms. Because the watercolors are extremely sensitive to light, they鈥檙e only on display for a little more than two months. Before the watercolors are tucked away again, this comprehensive exhibit is not to be missed by any birder, nature enthusiast, or art lover.
鈥淢y aunt was a birder and my father in law was a very dedicated birder, but 爆料公社 has made me a birder,鈥 notes Olson, a member of 爆料公社. 鈥淚 really recognize birds through 爆料公社, because he captured them not in profile poses or only flying, but he captured them in ways that I see them.鈥
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