Rewatched White Christmas l/n for the umpteenth time and noticed the General's good taste in classic prints; Plate #1 from Audubon's "The Birds of America". That tome continues to fascinate in its depth and lasting power, from its sheer size 3'3" x 2'2" (double elephant in paper terms) and value (world's most expensive book), to the protracted story of its creation and printing.
"Most bird books are arranged by type—shore birds in one chapter, song birds in another, birds of prey somewhere else. But Audubon broke with that tradition, instead sequencing his bird pictures for dramatic effect. In selecting the turkey cock as Plate No. 1 in his series, he seemed to celebrate the turkey as the alpha bird of the American landscape." - via WSJThere is a recent book out called Audubon's Aviary that explores the original watercolors and "tells the story behind this monumental classic with new discoveries about this American icon, as well as fresh insights and engaging quotes from Audubon's own compelling writings." #pagingsanta