Peregrine Falcons (Duck Hawks)

c. 1827

John James Audubon

(American, born Haiti, 1785–1851)

Culture

America

Medium

oil on canvas

Measurements

Framed: 74.9 x 101 x 10.2 cm (29 1/2 x 39 3/4 x 4 in.); Unframed: 64.5 x 91.5 cm (25 3/8 x 36 in.)

Credit Line

Gift of the American Foundation for the Maud E. and Warren H. Corning Botanical Collection 1964.351

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Location

205 Federal American

Did You Know?

Clocked at speeds more than 240 mph, peregrine falcons are the world's fastest animals.

Description

A vigorous portrayal of two peregrine falcons with their fresh duck prey, John James Audubon's painting relates to his groundbreaking Birds of America publication that sought to depict every species of native North American bird posed in action with elements of their habitats. Based on his artistic and scientific successes, Audubon became the premier naturalist in the United States. After his death, he continued to be associated with bird and nature conservation, and several organizations devoted to such causes were named in his honor. However, in recent years, as Audubon's slaveholding and looting of Indigenous graves has become more widely acknowledged, an increasing number of these groups are changing their names.