Early Nature Artists in Florida: Audubon and His Fellow Explorers

by Chris Fasolino

Florida's amazing landscapes and fascinating wildlife were sources of inspiration for early naturalists seeking new horizons. Among them was John James Audubon. Elegant herons, acrobatic terns, endearing pelicans and colorful roseate spoonbills all feature among his beloved artwork. But Audubon was not the first nature artist inspired by Florida. Mark Catesby, an English country squire turned adventurer, helped introduce the wonders of Florida to a European audience in the 1700s. And William Bartram, a Pennsylvania Quaker, traveled south to explore the Florida wilderness, where he canoed across a lake full of alligators and lived to sketch the creatures. Author Chris Fasolino shares the stories of these artistic expeditions in a collection replete with gorgeous artwork that includes high-definition images of Audubon's rarely seen original paintings.

147 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 20, 2021

Reviews

[Codrin · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is a great review of the early natural history of Florida. Was great to see some of those illustrations and want went behind the scenes. One small issue, at least in the ebook version I read, the illustrations very quite far away from the chapters describing them so going back and forth was not that handy. Don't know if is the same with the printed version. Quite enjoyable and a special way of learning about both the birds and the history of Florida.