Selected Western Art | Selected Works
John James Audubon
Selected Bibliography
Books
Audubon, John James. American Wildlife Heritage. Kent, OH: Volair Limited, 1977- 1980. 11 Volumes.
Set of ten volumes reproducing selected images and texts of Audubon’s octavo editions from The Birds of America and The Viviparous Quadrupeds of North America. Images are reproduced randomly, so the Index, in volume 11, is essential. Useful for reading the text of individual birds in conjunction with looking at the image.
Audubon, John James. Audubon’s Quadrupeds of North America: Complete and Unabridged. Secaucus, NJ: Wellfleet Press, 1989.
Volume reproduces the images and texts from the octavo edition.
Audubon, John James. The Original Water-color Paintings by John James Audubon for
“The Birds of America” Reproduced in Color for the First Time from the Collection at the New York Historical Society. Introduction by Marshall B. Davidson. New York American Heritage Publishing Company, 1966. 2 volumes.
Reproductions of the watercolors made by Audubon for The Birds of America with significant comments on the works of art.
Audubon, Maria R. and Elliott Coues. Audubon and His Journals. New York: Dover Publications, 1986. [2 volumes].
Reprint of work first published in 1897. Text of three journals (European, Labrador and Mississippi River) believed by scholars to have been highly bowdlerized by his granddaughter, Maria.
Blaugrund, Annette and Theodore E. Stebbins, Jr. eds. John James Audubon: The
Watercolors for “The Birds of America.” New York: New York Historical Society, 1993.
A selection of watercolors representing Audubon’s development as an artist. This catalogue accompanied a traveling exhibition organized by the New York Historical Society.
Boehme, Sarah E., Annette Blaugrund, Robert McCracken Peck, and Ron Tyler.
Audubon in the
West: The Last Expedition: Mammals of North America. New York and Cody, WY: Harry N. Abrams, Inc. and Buffalo Bill Historical Center, 2000.
Comprehensive study of The Viviparous Quadrupeds of North America and the story of Audubon's western journey. Published in conjunction with an exhibition curated by Boehme, now director of the Stark Museum of Art.
Braun, Nancy and Robert Braun. An Audubon Concordance: Migration Through the Plate
Numbers. Fairfield, CT: American Historical Print Collectors Society, 1999.
An index for birds, plants and other images (nests, eggs, insects, ect. ) appearing in the three original Audubon editions with cross references to each. Also notes the horizontal or vertical orientation of the image.
Braun, Robert. Identifying Audubon Bird Prints: Originals, States, Editions, Restrikes, and
Facsimiles and Reproductions. Fairfield, CT: American Historical Print Collectors Society, 2001.
Presents the identifying features of each of type of Audubon print. Color illustrations detail the comparisons.
Durant, Mary and Michael Harwood.
On the Road with John James Audubon. New York:
Dodd,Mead and Company, 1980.
Authors trace Audubon's travels through the US and Labrador. Their accounts appear along with those of the naturalist, each offering their won view of the journey. Includes bird index.
Dwight, Edward H.
Audubon Watercolors and Drawings. Utica and New York City, NY: Munson-
Williams-Proctor Institute and the Pierpont Morgan Library, 1965.
A catalog of an exhibition that included a significant sampling of Audubon’s watercolors and drawings including portraits, birds and mammals.
Ford, Alice, ed.
Audubon by Himself: A Profile of John James Audubon, From Writings Selected,
Arranged and Edited by Alice Ford. NY: The Natural History Press, 1969.
Ford developed this “self-portrait” of Audubon from the artist’s own writings.
Ford, Alice. John James Audubon. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1964.
Important twentieth century biography of Audubon with commentary on his art.
Fries, Waldemar H.
The Double Elephant Folio: The Story of Audubon’s “Birds of America.”
Chicago: American Library Association, 1973. Reprint with updated appendix by Susanne Low. Amherst, MA: Zenaida Publishing, 2006.
Fries documents the history of the making of the Double Elephant folio edition of
The Birds of America. He describes every known complete set, including the set now in the Stark Museum of Art. This edition includes updates. Essential to the study of Audubon.
Hart-Davis, Duff. Audubon’s Elephant: America’s Greatest Naturalist and the Making of “The Birds of America.” NY: H. Holt, 2004.
Focuses on the years Audubon spent in Edinburgh and London (1826-1838) securing subscriptions and negotiating with engravers to bring his life’s work to fruition.
Low, Susanne M.
A Guide to Audubon’s “Birds of America”: a Concordance Containing Current
Names of the Birds, Plate Names with Descriptions of Plate Variants, a Description of the Bien Edition and Corresponding Indexes. New Haven, CT and New York: William Reese Company & Donald A. Heald, 2002.
Comprehensive guide to the double elephant folio edition of
The Birds of America presenting the current name (common and scientific) of the bird, the name used by the artist on the plate legend and variants. Includes black & white image of each plate and a description, many with related quotes from the
Ornithological Biography. Notes, if applicable, the location of the bird in octavo and/or Bien edition.
Oppenheimer, Joel. “The making of the Bien edition.”
Audubon and the Art of Natural History,
[catalogue] Chicago: Joel Oppenheimer, Inc. (2008): 14, 57-61.
Gallery owner, Joel Oppenheimer presents new research suggesting that the Bien edition was issued at two different times. An American prospectus and advertisement for the sale of the Bien edition along with other editions prompted the research.
Patterson, Daniel, ed.
John James Audubon’s Journal of 1826: The Voyage to “The Birds of
America.” Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 2011.
Patterson’s extensive notes throughout the text preserve Audubon’s authentic voice. Introduction discusses the history and significance of the journal and explores the editorial processes of earlier editors, Maria R. Audubon, Audubon’s granddaughter, and Alice Ford, independent scholar
Rhodes, Richard.
John James Audubon: The Making of an American. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2004.
An intimate biography of the artist. The author did research at the Stark Museum of Art, consulting the correspondence between Audubon and family and friends.
Rhodes, Richard, ed.
The Audubon Reader / John James Audubon. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2006.
Anthology of writings from Audubon’s journals, letters and published works. Audubon letters from the Stark Museum of Art holdings are quoted here, although not identified by the author as being in the Stark Museum of Art. The author does not cite the sources of individual entries, reducing the scholarly usefulness of this publication.
Shuler, Jay.
Had I the Wings: The Friendship of Bachman and Audubon. Athens: University of Georgia Press, 1998.
A look at the relationship between these two naturalists and its contribution to Audubon’s success.
Steiner, Bill.
Audubon Art Prints: A Collector’s Guide to Every Edition. Columbia: University of South Carolina Press, 2003.
A comprehensive guide directed to the collector of Audubon prints. Author gives his recommendations related to buying and selling prints. Discusses how condition and other factors affect financial value.
Tyler, Ron.
Audubon’s Great National Work: The Royal Octavo Edition of “The Birds of America.”
Austin: University of Texas Press, 1993.
A discussion of the conception, production and reception of the more widely distributed edition of The Birds of America. The Audubon papers in the archives of the Stark Museum of Art were consulted in the writing of this book.
Tyler, Ron.
Nature’s Classics: John James Audubon’s Birds and Animals.
Orange, TX: Nelda C. and H.J. Lutcher Stark Foundation, 1992.
Collection catalogue identifying over 200 Audubon related objects including the rare five volume set of The Birds of America, first edition copies of all John James and John Woodhouse Audubon publications and nearly 100 family letters. Includes selected bibliography.
Armstrong, Jennifer. Audubon: Painter of Birds in the Wild Frontier. New York: Harry N. Abrams, 2003.
Picture-book biography, focusing on Audubon’s life from 1804-1812. Author’s note includes additional information. Grades 3-5
Burleigh, Robert. Into the Woods, John James Audubon Lives His Dream. New York: Atheneum, 2003.
A picture-book biography. Grades 3-5.
Davies, Jacqueline.
The Boy Who Drew Birds: A Story of John James Audubon.
Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin, 2004.
The story of Audubon banding a family of birds to determine if the same ones would return again in spring. Grades 2-4.
National Gallery of Art.
John James Audubon: "The Birds of America." VHS. Washington, DC:
Department of Extension Program, National Gallery of Art, 1985.
Tells the story of Audubon's development as an artist and his commitment to publishing his work. 29 minutes.
Hott, Lawrence and Diane Garey. John James Audubon: Drawn From Nature. DVD. New York: WNET, 2006.
From the American Masters Series by PBS. The story of Audubon as a self-taught artist and self-made man. Includes extras on the printing process, how Audubon posed the birds and a comparison of his work with a contemporary. 54 minutes. Closed captioned.
Digital Research Library.
Audubon’s Birds of America at the University of Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh,
Digital version of the complete double elephant folio set of Audubon’s Birds of America, accompanied by the text of the Ornithological Biography.
Selected titles may be available for purchase in the Museum Store. You can also consult your local library.
Books not in the holdings of your local library can often be borrowed through inter-library loan.
For Museum Store information call 409-886-2787 ext. 13.