Golden Birds & Letters: Audebert’s Masterpiece
Of all the remarkable natural history books published during the 1800s, Jean-Baptiste Audebert’s colour-printed work on birds with gold and iridescent feathers is perhaps the finest and most luxurious.
The years around 1800 were a golden age for fine bird books, when French artists and naturalists produced some of the most beautiful ornithological texts ever published. One of these is the remarkable Oiseaux Dorés ou a Reflets Métalliques (Golden or Iridescent Birds), by Jean-Baptiste Audebert (1759-1800), an example of technical as well as artistic genius.
Audebert was originally a painter of miniatures, producing fine portraits for the wealthy. But at the end of the 18th century he developed a passion for natural history and began publishing works in that genre. His first book, Histoire Naturelle des Singes, on monkeys, appeared in 1800, and he also contributed to the travel narrative Relation du Voyage à la Recherche de la Pérouse in the same year.
But Oiseaux Dorés is his masterpiece, showcasing birds with metallic and iridescent feathers, including hummingbirds, jacamars, birds of paradise, and South African sugarbirds. It is considered one of the most beautiful natural history books of all time, with the section on hummingbirds described by bibliographer Claus Nissen as ‘the first magnificent depiction’ of the family (Die Illustrierten Vogelbücher, p. 47).
One of the explanations for Audebert’s success is that he developed his own sophisticated colour printing technique, making Oiseaux Dorés the first ornithological book to be printed in colour rather than hand-coloured.
Also, instead of hiring a draughtsman to engrave the printing plates based on his paintings, Audebert mastered both crafts, engraving all his own plates so that he was able to maintain complete artistic control.
Oiseaux Dorés was a luxurious publication in every way. The illustrations were hand-finished with gold highlights, giving the impression of metallic plumage, and 200 copies even have the captions printed in gold (amazingly, 15 very special copies were printed with the complete text in gold!).
Audebert’s illustrations are still considered to rank ‘among the best colour prints found in ornithology’ (Anker, Bird Books and Bird Art 14), and photos cannot do them justice. So while this copy can be seen on our website, we recommend viewing in person at 94 New Bond Street.
By Laura Massey
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