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d. 1851
John James Audubon, the 19th century naturalist who popularized the study of birds, died January 27, 1851. He was 65.
Audubon was born April 26, 1785 in Les Cayes, Saint-Domingue, West Indies (now Haiti). The illegitimate son of a French businessman, Audubon became interested in drawing birds during his childhood in France.
When he was 18, Audubon came to the United States to pursue a career and to engage in his passion, drawing birds. He worked at a variety of jobs to make a living, but at the same time devoted an equal amount of time to drawing a comprehensive catalog of North American birds. He married his wife Lucy during this time. They had two sons, John W. and Victor.
Audubon traveled from Florida to Canada and points in between, working and drawing. By 1824, he was ready to publish his drawings. Advised to go abroad for publication, he went back to Europe, finally making a deal with a London engraver to publish his drawings.
Between 1827 and 1839, Audubon divided his time between the United States and Europe, refining his drawings and getting them ready for publication. His The Birds of America, a four-volume set, contained drawings over an eleven-year period from 1827-38. A Synopsis of the Birds of North America was published in 1839, and his seven-volume book, Birds of America was published in 1844.
After his success with bird drawings, Audubon decided he wanted to draw animals of North America, but this venture proved more difficult. His son John did half of his 155 animal engravings.
In addition to his bird and animal drawings, Audubon also wrote about his adventures on the North American continent, readings many scholars say are as noteworthy as his drawings.
The last years of his life were spent traveling in the western United States. He died in New York City on January 27, 1851.
