Audubon as Artist

Olson deftly sketches a lively portrait of the man, hard at work procuring specimens to depict; sketching birds from life and death; working late into the night by oil lamplight. She gives us his rich inner life as well, as he exults at praise and crashes when critics try to douse his flame. . . . Olson’s refreshing observations on possible influences on Audubon’s art are a special delight. * Wall St Journal *
Today these masterful depictions, many including glimpses of the birds' surroundings and their habitual foods, are so well known that it's difficult to imagine how revolutionary they appeared when the first pages of The Birds of America were published nearly two centuries ago. In her new book, Audubon as Artist, Olson, curator emerita of Auduboniana at the New-York Historical Society, sketches out the historical context of that book, as well as explores how Audubon’s work overlapped with his life in various ways . . . This book is part artistic biography and part social history, and generously illustrated throughout. It is a pleasure to tag along through this book as Audubon discovers the birds of America. * American Scientist's end-of-year gift guide *
There is no better guide to Audubon's avian universe than Olson . . . Olson's new book delivers as complete an account of Audubon's development as an artist as we are likely to get. It also provides a fascinating glimpse into the workshop of his mind. * The Art Newspaper *
In her sumptuous new book, Audubon as Artist, Roberta Olson not only celebrates that work but also anatomizes it, drawing genealogical, even cladistic connections between Audubon’s famous bird-illustrations and the traditions of Western art that came before him . . . Audubon as Artist is amazingly alive with art of all kinds . . . Paging through Olson’s book provides one imagination-stirring juxtaposition after another . . . Of all the countless books that have been written about the man and his work, Audubon as Artist would have delighted Audubon the most. * Open Letters Review *
Looking beyond an artist’s brushstrokes can shed fresh light on his inspiration. A new book digs deep into John James Audubon’s fascination with classical European art, which influenced his celebrated bird paintings . . . no one has charted his possible artistic influences as thoroughly as Olson. * The Christian Science Monitor *
[A] lively text . . . thorough, engaging. . . . Olson’s clarity of prose makes for quick reading, and despite the density of info she digs into, she never belabors her point nor moves too far from her stated purpose. The result is a crisp and enjoyably focused narrative. I closed the book wanting more, inspired to delve into the many books and texts listed under references and further reading . . . Olson’s stylish book reminds us that no artist goes it alone—influence and connection are inherent to every artist’s life. * New City Lit *
A beautiful and masterfully researched book that gives depth to this singular artist’s work. Not to mention it is a joy to flip through its many colourful pages. * Bookmunch *
Audubon as Artist – as meticulously researched as it is spiritedly written – will completely revolutionize our understanding of Audubon's complicated legacy. Everyone seems to know Audubon these days; Roberta Olson, one of the leading art historians and museum curators working today, shows us how little we have in fact known. The first scholar to treat Audubon's desire to be admired both as an artist and an ornithologist with the seriousness it deserves, she elucidates the art that influenced him and the artistic techniques he cultivated to create what Cuvier rightly called the 'greatest human monument to nature'. * Christoph Irmscher, Distinguished Professor of English at Indiana University and author of The Poetics of Natural History. *
Although so much has been written about Audubon, Roberta Olson brings new and fresh insights into the life and work of the artist-naturalist. In Audubon as Artist, with her customary scholarly flair she presents the reader with a detailed and fascinating outline of Audubon’s development as an artist and the art that influenced him. This richly illustrated book brilliantly demonstrates how his awareness of European, Asian and even Indian painting was integrated into his own unique art. Audubon as Artist clearly shows that Audubon was much more than an illustrator of birds – he was America’s first great watercolourist and should be placed firmly within a wider artistic tradition. * Mark Glancy, Curator of 'Audubon’s Birds of America', National Museums Scotland 2022 and touring *
This fresh look at the artistry of a great American painter and naturalist delivers delightful revelations with unrivaled authority. Outstanding! * Richard Rhodes, author of John James Audubon: The Making of an American, and Pulitzer Prize laureate *
Roberta Olson provides a refreshingly new look at The Birds of America from an art-historical perspective with a deep background on its creation. Thoroughly researched, beautifully written, and sumptuously illustrated, this is a book all Audubon enthusiasts will want to own. * Robert McCracken Peck, author of The Natural History of Edward Lear and Curator of Art and Artifacts at The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University. *