American Flamingo — John James Audubon, 1827

American Flamingo originates from John James Audubon’s ambition to record North American birdlife at full scale, without reducing it to emblem or ornament.

Produced for The Birds of America (1827–1838), the plate documents the species Phoenicopterus ruber through direct observation and classification. The work was engraved, printed, and hand-colored by Robert Havell, preserving anatomical accuracy while situating the flamingo within its broader environmental context. Additional figures recede into the distance to establish species behavior and habitat without narrative emphasis, reinforcing the plate’s scientific grounding and observational intent.