Annotated Bibliography

John James Audubon
Selected Bibliography

Books

Audubon, John James. American Wildlife Heritage. Kent, OH: Published by Volair Limited, 1977-1980. 11 Volumes.

• Set of ten volumes that reproduces all the images and the texts of Audubon’s octavo editions of the Birds and the Quadrupeds. Images are reproduced  randomly, so the Index, in volume 11, is essential. Remains useful for reading the text of individual birds in conjunction with looking at the image.   

_____. Audubon’s Quadrupeds of North America: Complete and  Unabridged. Secaucus, NJ: Wellfleet Press, 1989.

• Volume reproduces the images and texts from Audubon’s octavo edition of Viviparous Quadrupeds of North America. 

_____. 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. The text of three journals believed by  scholars to have been heavily edited and bowdlerized by his granddaughter, Maria.

Bannon, Lois Elmer and Taylor Clark. Handbook of Audubon Prints. Gretna, LA: Pelican Publishing, 1980.

• Answers frequently asked questions about Audubon’s Birds of America and The Viviparous Quadrupeds of North America. Includes: paper size, lithographer’s name, media, number of plates, estimated number of sets and name of background artist if known.

Blaugrund, Annette and Theodore E. Stebbins, Jr. eds. John James Audubon: The Watercolors for “Birds of America.”

• New York: New York Historical Society, 1993.

• A selection of watercolors representing Audubon’s development as an artist. This catalog 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 his 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.

• A reference for various birds, plants and other images appearing in the three original Audubon editions with cross references to each edition.

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 prints. Color illustrations detail the comparisons.

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. The 1826 Journal of John James Audubon Transcribed from the  Original in the Collection of Henry

• Bradley Martin, and with a Foreword and   Notes by Alice Ford. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1967.

• This journal covers the dates April 26 to December 31, 1826. Of the many journals kept by the artist, this is one of five that survived intact.

_____. Audubon by Himself: A Profile of John James Audubon, From Writings Selected,  Arranged and Edited by

• Alice Ford.  Garden City, NY: The Natural History Press,  1969.

• Ford developed this “self-portrait” of Audubon from the artist’s own writings.

_____. John James Audubon. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1964.

• Important twentieth century biography of Audubon with commentary on his art included.

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 documented the history of the making of the Double Elephant folio edition of the Birds. He described every known complete set, including the set now in the Stark Museum of Art. This edition includes updates.  Essential to the study of Audubon.

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 Birds of America presenting the current name (common and scientific) of the bird, the name used by the artist on the plate legend and other names as may have been used. Includes black & white image of each plate and a description. Compares Double Elephant Folio with Octavo and Bien editions.

_____. An Index and Guide to Audubon’s “Birds of America.” New York: Abbeville Press, 1988.

• Detailed description of each plate in the Double Elephant Folio including geographical distribution of each bird and history of the discovery of the species as well as identification of the plants and animals in the engraving.  Specific to the DEF edition only.

Peterson, Roger Tory and Virginia Marie Peterson. The Audubon Society Baby Elephant Folio: Audubon’s “Birds of

• America.”  New York: Abbeville Press, 1981.

• Plates are organized phylogenetically or in a modern scientific classification sequence. Each includes the current name and name used by Audubon. Brief commentaries on the birds from important ornithologist of twentieth century.

Rhodes, Richard. 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.

_____. 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. 

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.

_____. Nature’s Classics: John James Audubon’s Birds and Animals.  Orange, TX: Nelda C. and H.J. Lutcher Stark

• Foundation, 1992.
• Collection catalog identifying over 200 Audubon related objects including the rare five volume set of Birds of America, first edition copies of all John James and John Woodhouse Audubon publications and nearly 100 familyletters. Includes selected bibliography.

Books for Children

Armstrong, Jennifer. Audubon: Painter of Birds in the Wild Frontier. New York: Harry N. Abrams, 2003.

• The reader rides along as the artist tracks birds through the woods and meets up with Daniel Boone. 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.

• The story of Audubon banding a family of birds to determine if the same ones would return again in spring. Grades 2-4.

Videos

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 his 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.

Web Site

Digital Research Library. Audubon’s Birds of America at the University of Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh, PA: University of

• Pittsburgh, University Library System, 2008. http://digital.library.pitt.edu/a/audubon/
  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. For Museum Store information call 409-886-2787 ext. 13.

You can also consult your local library. Books not in the holdings of your local library can often be borrowed through inter-library loan.