John James Audubon (1785 – 1851) was a noted artist from the 19th century who is best known for his seminal illustrated book titled 'Birds of America'. The iconic book contained 435 gorgeous hand-colored watercolor paintings depicting a wide variety of American bird species.
Interestingly, Audubon wasn't a trained naturalist, but his passionate love for birds made him perfect his art. 'Birds of America' was printed between 1827 and 1838 and included hand-engraved plates from the artist's original watercolor paintings. This book is said to have brought extensive awareness and appreciation for the beauty of birds all over the world. Furthermore, it is also believed to have started off the practice of naturalistic representations of animals in watercolor.
Audubon's paintings include elaborate details of the subject, which made them appear almost life-like. His way of working was unique, too. He used a system of wires and pins to set up each specimen in a life-like posture and then go paint them on paper. When his works were displayed at an exhibition at the New-York Historical Society in 2014, the blurb read: "the watercolors possess a startling immediacy and a freshness that underline his genius in linking natural history and art, as well as a respect for the environment."
Thankfully, all the paintings from Audubon's 'Birds of America' have now been made public in a downloadable digital library, and you can view all the 435 delightful illustrations on the National Audubon Society website. Here, we have presented some of the best works of the artist from his famous book. These are truly magnificent paintings, and lovers of art and nature are sure to be pleased by them.
If You Love Nature, Then You've Got to See These Paintings
Enjoy 20 of Ivan Shishkin's most beautiful paintings of woodland scenes. You won't believe that you're actually looking at a painting!
These Lovely Bird Paper Sculptures Look Stunningly Real
At first glance, the dazzling paper sculptures by the artist Diana Beltran Herrera look like real living birds and butterflies...
17 Charming Artworks and Famous Paintings of Winslow Homer
In this post, you can take a closer look at some of the best paintings and artworks by noted American painter Winslow Homer.
12 Unbelievable Hyperrealistic Portraits of Flower Petals
Take a look at these gorgeous hyperrealistic paintings that show the delicate beauty of flower petals.
Admire These Lifelike Landscape Paintings
Check out these extraordinarily lifelike landscape paintings that feel like real nature photographs.
David Cox - One of the Greatest English Landscape Painters
Enjoy the artworks of David Cox, one of the greatest English landscape painters.
3:06
Andre Rieu Plays Kalinka Like You've Never Seen It!
Hope you enjoy this wonderful performance as much as the people in this fantastic crowd did.
Intricate Winged Animals From a Piece of Paper - Terrific!
These intricate paper cutouts of animals are simply terrific!
Feast Your Eyes on These Incredible Decorative Cakes!
Juliana Tar, a German confectioner, makes stunning raw vegan cakes, unlike anything you've ever seen! Check them out here.
Could You Believe This Art Is Carved Out of a Pumpkin?
The pumpkins are not your typical Halloween pumpkin carving.
12 Jaw Dropping Facts About the Most Famous Art in History
You'll likely recognize these famous artworks, but we’re willing to bet you didn’t know the incredibly curious facts about these masterpieces
These Gripping Tales From Norse Mythology Will Shock You!
Here are some Norse myths, tales and legends that inspire shock and awe, not to mention some truly epic stories we still enjoy today.
5:07
Incredible Trapeze Performance by Duo Artemiev
these dual performers, the 'Duo Artemiev', offer a great trapeze number which is both beautiful and impressive, not to mention their original invention. It is a graceful, gentle and fascinating performance!
7:31
This Version of a Famous Song Brought Tears to My Eyes
If you love the song 'Hotel California,' this a capella version will blow you away. At the 4-minute mark, I was blown away!
3:04
Lord of the Dance Performance With Michael Flatley!
This step dance performance by Michael Flatley and Lord of the Dance is beyond beautiful!
3:17
What a Spectacular Performance by 2 Classic Greats!
An exciting performance by two classic greats - Louis Armstrong and Danny Kaye!
Are These the World's Funniest Paintings? We Think So!
There are many pieces of art out there that were created to make the viewer laugh. Here are seven such masterpieces!
These Canadian Tenors Get a Huge Surprise on Stage
The look on these tenors' faces when they are joined by a special guess is priceless...
3:36
This 3-Tenor Performance is Famous For its Beauty...
Back when these 3 tenors were still with us, they made this amazing gesture to another musical genius.
7:26
You'll Need a Cold Shower After Watching This Sultry Dance...
Romance was sure in the air, during this electric dance performance. You might need a cold shower after watching this!
Yo Yo Ma Plays: Somewhere Over the Rainbow
As part of an appearance on the American program The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Yo-Yo Ma combined two wonderful pieces from two completely different worlds.
The Art of This Historic Painter Is Worth Marveling At
Take a look at some impressive artworks by Francisco Pradilla Ortiz, a famous historical painter.
The Most Beautiful Stained-Glass Pieces You Will Ever See
Synonymous with luxury and fame, his works are scattered everywhere in the U.S.: from the White House to, quite possibly, your nightstand.
5:33
This Serbian Dance is Poetry in Motion and a Lot of Fun!
This Serbian folk dance is so full of life, fun and great tradition. It's a joy to watch it unfold.
These 3D Embroidery Designs Look Like Real Food
Marvel at the stunning 3D food embroideries created by the artist Youmeng Liu.
3:43
This Emotional Duet Gave Me Goosebumps of Pleasure
These two world-famous artists are amazingly talented singing alone, let alone when they join to give an emotional duet like this.
15 Cute Pictures With a Deep Inspirational Subtext
These wonderful pictures are guaranteed to inspire you and brighten your day!
The Secret Stories of 10 Art Masterpieces
From the Mona Lisa to The Scream, every piece of Art has a story, a vibrant and colorful history, and a far deeper meaning behind it. We bring you ten of our favorite stories behind these amazing works of Art!
3:28
Listen to a Stunning Rendition of Vittorio Monti's Csárdás
Neapolitan composer Vittorio Monti is most well-known for his beautiful composition Csárdás. Listen to this wonderful rendition by violinist David Garrett.
These Funny Short Poems by Shel Silverstein are a Hoot
Shel Silverstein is a truly gifted and hilarious wordsmith, and these 22 poems of his are sure to make you chuckle
Get Funky with Stevie Wonder’s Greatest Hits
Stevie Wonder was one of the 20th century's most prominent and creative musical figures, and these are his most timeless and unforgettable hits.
5:06
The Blind Orchestra - Amazing!
Cairo's Egyptian Blind Girls Chamber Orchestra has been called "a thing of light and hope". That is because every member of this orchestra - is blind
The Oldest Stories Ever Written, Told in Beautiful Paintings
These are 15 absolutely stunning paintings that show you some incredible moments amidst the billions of legends in Greek Mythology.
3:46
WATCH: This Romantic Composer's Work Is Utterly Magical
The Romantic composer, Johannes Brahms, completed a series of compositions called the Hungarian Dances. Enjoy Hungarian Dance no. 5 in this video.
Did You Know These Famous Artworks Have HIDDEN Messages?
The 7 famous paintings and sculptures we showcase in this article have secret messages waiting to be uncovered!
12 Vibrant Natural Landscapes Made with Thread and Needle
Embroidery artist Vera Shimunia captures the beauty and vibrancy nature in her art. From mountain terrains to lovely sunsets, here is some oh her best work.
7:53
7 of the Most Calming Famous Artworks in the World
These paintings have a calming effect on people, and the explanation of the human psychology underlying this phenomenon is insanely interesting!
These Gorgeous, Classic Paintings Will Leave You in Awe
J.M.W. Turner is perhaps one of the most well-known British artists ever. When you feast your eyes on 10 of his most famous paintings, you'll understand why.
16:00
Prediction: This Performance Will Leave Your Mouth Open!
This show is unbelievable! The sheer talent and strength these performers have is uncanny!
6:29
This Performer Swept the Audience Along With Her!
Singing performances are nothing new in the world of television, which is full of talent competitions that have already brought golden voices to the forefront — but chances are you’ve never seen or heard a performance quite like this one.
10 Famous French Paintings That Will Captivate You
Over the centuries, French painters have created many masterpieces. Here you can find 10 of the most famous French paintings.
4:27
These Brothers Wow a Nation With Death-Defying Act!
The Giang Brothers might not have won the final of Britain’s Got Talent 2018, but they almost certainly won the hearts of a nation with their death-defying act!
7:39
The Emotional Punch of a Special André Rieu Performance
Together with André Rieu's orchestra, the two performed a beautiful and moving classical arrangement of "Across the Stars", the piece composed by John Williams for the Star Wars films.
3:57
Rocco Granata & André Rieu in a Lively Rendition of Macarena
The band, the crowd, the dancing... this live performance of Macarena by Rocco Granata and Andre Rieu should be seen by everyone!
What Detail! You Must See These Stunning Oil Paintings
Check out these stunning, detailed oil paintings by Osamu Obi.
15 Incredible Paintings That Every Art Lover Must Know...
Here are some of the greatest paintings in art history. What do they mean to you?
To enable your Ad-Free Subscription, please fill the fields below
Your subscription was successful, now you can enjoy an ad-free experience!! Note: To make sure you get no ads, please make sure to log in to your account. If you are logged in already, then refresh the page. The subscription can be cancelled at any time.
