Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias), Havell plate no. 281

Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias), Havell plate no. 281
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias), Havell plate no. 281
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias), Havell plate no. 281
Title
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias), Havell plate no. 281
Date 
1832
Medium 
Watercolor, graphite, pastel, and black chalk with touches of black ink, scratching out, and scraping on paper, laid on card
Dimensions 
Paper: 38 15/16 x 25 3/4 in. (98.9 x 65.4 cm) Mat: 39 x 53 in. (99.1 x 134.6 cm)
Description 
Adult. The white color morph of the Great Blue Heron, found mostly in the Florida Keys, and sometimes referred to as the Great White Heron.
Credit Line 
Purchased for the Society by public subscription from Mrs. John J. Audubon
Object Number 
1863.17.281
Inscriptions 
Inscribed at lower left of center in graphite: "Keep closely to the Sky in depth and colouring! / have the water of a Pea-green tint / Keep the divison of the scales on the / legs & feet white in your engraving -- / The colouring over these will subdue / them enough.--"; below: "Finish the houses better / from the original / which you have."; at lower center in brown ink: "No 57. Plate 281. / Ardea occidentalis. / male adult spring plumage. / View, Key-West."; at lower right of center in graphite: "Scale lighter edges--"; at lower right: "*have the upper back h
Gallery Label 
Until 1973, the Great White heron was considered a separate species, it is now known as a form of the Great Blue heron
Due to ongoing research, information about this object is subject to change.
Creative: Tronvig Group