John James Audubon

John James Audubon was born in Santo Domingo (now known as Haiti) as the illegitimate son of a Frenchman and his mistress. He was raised in France during the French Revolution. In 1803, when Napoleon was seeking conscripts for his army, 18-year-old Audubon fled with his father to the safety of the United States. There, his life became vigorously active and filled with romance and excitement, and he eventually took a wife named Lucy.

Regarding his works, Audubon fell in love with the landscapes and creatures of the New World, he became utterly consumed by a desire to find and paint every bird in North America. From 1819 - 1839 he attempted to catalog each species and paint watercolors of what he saw. These notes and paintings, represented in the famous John James Audubon: The Watercolors for the Birds of America, chart the naturalist's progress as an artist and also his increasing understanding of ornithology. The bird prints represent the creative spirit of our American heritage and a commitment to wildlife and the natural environment.

John James Audubon is universally recognized as one of America' s greatest treasures, both historically and artistically. He was one of the God’s gift not only to America but also to the entire human race in this world.

Deva Kumar (India)