John James Audubon

John James Audubon was born to a French Naval Officer in French-colonized Haiti. He was sent to America at a young age, where he developed a keen interest in nature and art. Audubon dedicated his life to creating a comprehensive illustrated guide to birds in America. The monumental work was first published in Britain, where it took the work of over 40 engravers and colorists to create printable versions of Audubon’s watercolor and gouache paintings, for the modern day equivalent of $2,000,000. The resulting work, titled ‘Birds of America,’ is arguably the most significant illustrated ornithological work ever made.