Robert Havell Jr. stands as a pivotal figure in the annals of 19th-century art, a master craftsman whose exceptional skills as an engraver and a painter bridged the worlds of scientific illustration and romantic landscape art. Born into a family steeped in the traditions of printmaking in Reading, Berkshire, England, on November 25, 1793, Havell Jr.'s destiny was intertwined with the meticulous art of aquatint and engraving. His life journey would eventually lead him across the Atlantic to the burgeoning artistic landscape of America, where he would leave an indelible mark, not only through his monumental work on John James Audubon's The Birds of America but also as a distinguished painter of the Hudson River School. He passed away in Tarrytown, New York, on November 11, 1878, leaving behind a legacy of breathtaking artistry and unwavering dedication to his craft.
Early Life and Artistic Foundations in England
The Havell family was renowned in England for their contributions to printmaking. Robert Havell Jr. was immersed in this environment from a young age, learning the intricate techniques of aquatint engraving under the tutelage of his father, Robert Havell Sr. (1769–1832). The elder Havell ran a successful printing and engraving business, often known as Havell & Son, which specialized in a variety of subjects, including landscapes, sporting scenes, and natural history. This familial enterprise provided the young Robert with an unparalleled apprenticeship, allowing him to master the demanding skills required for high-quality print production.
Aquatint, a complex intaglio printmaking technique, was a Havell specialty. It allowed for the creation of tonal areas rather than just lines, making it ideal for reproducing the subtle washes of watercolor paintings, which were immensely popular at the time. Robert Jr. quickly demonstrated a prodigious talent for this medium. His early work within the family business exposed him to a wide range of artistic styles and subject matter, honing his eye for detail and his technical proficiency. He collaborated with his father on numerous projects, establishing a reputation for excellence that would soon attract one of the most ambitious artistic and scientific undertakings of the era. It's worth noting that the Havell family included other artists, such as his uncle Daniel Havell (1785-1826), also an engraver, and his cousin William Havell (1782-1857), a notable landscape painter who was a founding member of the Society of Painters in Watercolours.
The Monumental Collaboration: The Birds of America
The defining project of Robert Havell Jr.'s career, and one that secured his place in art history, was his collaboration with the Franco-American naturalist and painter John James Audubon (1785-1851) on The Birds of America. Audubon, driven by a passionate desire to document every avian species of North America in its natural habitat and life-size, had traveled extensively, creating a stunning portfolio of watercolor paintings. He arrived in England in 1826 seeking a skilled engraver capable of translating his vibrant and dynamic compositions into print.
Audubon initially contracted the Scottish engraver William Home Lizars (1788-1859) in Edinburgh. However, after Lizars had completed only the first ten plates, a strike by his colorists brought the project to a halt. Frustrated but undeterred, Audubon traveled to London in 1827 and was introduced to Robert Havell Sr. The elder Havell recognized the immense potential of Audubon's work and the challenge it presented. Crucially, he proposed that his son, Robert Havell Jr., take on the primary responsibility for the engraving due to his exceptional skill.
This marked the beginning of an intensive and transformative collaboration that would span over a decade, from 1827 to 1838. Robert Havell Jr. was not merely a technician translating Audubon's images; he became an artistic partner. He was responsible for engraving, printing, and supervising the hand-coloring of the vast majority of the 435 plates for the "double elephant folio" edition of The Birds of America. His mastery of aquatint, etching, and line engraving was pushed to its limits to capture the subtle textures of feathers, the gleam in a bird's eye, and the lushness of the depicted flora.
Havell Jr.'s artistic contributions extended beyond technical execution. He often made significant improvements to Audubon's original compositions. This included adjusting the positioning of birds to enhance dynamism, adding or modifying landscape backgrounds to create a more cohesive and evocative setting, and sometimes even incorporating additional natural elements. Audubon himself acknowledged Havell's skill, and the two men developed a close working relationship, built on mutual respect for each other's talents. The resulting prints are celebrated for their scientific accuracy, their breathtaking scale, and their sheer artistic beauty, a testament to the synergy between Audubon's vision and Havell's unparalleled craftsmanship. The hand-coloring process itself was a massive undertaking, employing a large team of skilled colorists who worked under Havell's meticulous supervision to ensure consistency and vibrancy across the edition.
Emigration to America and the Hudson River School
Upon the completion of The Birds of America in 1838, and with the encouragement of Audubon, Robert Havell Jr. made the momentous decision to emigrate to the United States in 1839. He initially settled in Brooklyn, New York, and later moved to Ossining and then Tarrytown, both picturesque towns along the Hudson River. This move marked a significant shift in his artistic focus. While he continued some engraving work, Havell increasingly dedicated himself to oil painting, particularly landscapes.
The American artistic scene at the time was dominated by the burgeoning Hudson River School, the first native school of landscape painting in the United States. This group of artists, inspired by Romanticism, sought to capture the sublime beauty and untamed wilderness of the American continent. Key figures of the movement included its founder, Thomas Cole (1801-1848), and his successor, Asher B. Durand (1796-1886), as well as prominent artists like Frederic Edwin Church (1826-1900), Albert Bierstadt (1830-1902), Sanford Robinson Gifford (1823-1880), and Jasper Francis Cropsey (1823-1900).
Havell, with his keen eye for detail honed by years of engraving and his inherent love for nature, found himself naturally aligned with the aesthetic principles of the Hudson River School. His paintings, often depicting the scenic vistas of the Hudson River Valley, are characterized by their meticulous rendering of natural forms, their luminous quality of light, and their serene, often panoramic, compositions. He brought a distinctly English sensibility for picturesque landscape to the American scene, yet his work also embraced the grandeur and expansive scale celebrated by his American contemporaries.
Havell's Landscape Paintings and Panoramas
Robert Havell Jr.'s landscape paintings are notable for their clarity, precision, and atmospheric effects. He often chose elevated viewpoints, allowing for sweeping panoramic views that captured the breadth and majesty of the American scenery. His works frequently feature the Hudson River, a subject that captivated many artists of his generation.
One of his significant works is Hudson River North to Croton Point, which showcases his ability to combine detailed observation with a harmonious composition, capturing the tranquil beauty of the river and its surrounding hills. Another example, View of the Hudson from Tarrytown Heights, demonstrates his skill in rendering light and atmosphere, creating a sense of depth and serenity. His painting West Point from Phillipstown is a classic Hudson River School vista, imbued with a sense of national pride and the picturesque.
Beyond traditional easel paintings, Havell also produced impressive panoramic views of American cities, a popular genre in the 19th century. These large-scale works offered viewers a comprehensive and detailed visual record of urban development. Among his most notable urban scenes are Panoramic View of New York from the North River (also known as Panoramic View of New York, Taken from the North River) and Panoramic View of New York from the East River. These meticulously detailed aquatints, often hand-colored, showcased his enduring skill as a printmaker and his ability to capture the bustling energy and architectural character of the rapidly growing metropolis. The former was drawn and engraved by Havell himself and later, in 1930, re-engraved in a limited edition by Raoul Varin, attesting to its enduring appeal.
His oil painting The Steamer Clermont (circa 1840), housed in the Albany Institute of History & Art, is another example of his engagement with American subjects, depicting Robert Fulton's pioneering steamboat on the Hudson River, a symbol of American ingenuity and progress.
Other Engraving and Artistic Endeavors
While The Birds of America remains his most celebrated engraving project, Robert Havell Jr. also lent his skills to other publications. Before and after his work with Audubon, he was involved in various printmaking ventures. For instance, he provided engravings for botanical works, such as those for Margaret Lace Roscoe's Floral Illustrations of the Seasons (1829-1831) and Mrs. Edward Bury's A Selection of Hexandrian Plants (1831-1834). These projects further demonstrate his versatility and his ability to apply his refined aquatint technique to diverse scientific and artistic subjects, capturing the delicate beauty of botanical specimens with precision and elegance.
Even after establishing himself as a landscape painter in America, Havell continued to undertake engraving commissions, leveraging the reputation he had built. His printmaking expertise remained a significant part of his artistic identity throughout his life.
Artistic Style, Technique, and Influences
Robert Havell Jr.'s artistic style is characterized by a remarkable fusion of scientific precision and romantic sensibility. His training as an engraver instilled in him a profound respect for detail and accuracy, which is evident in both his prints and his paintings. The aquatint process, which he mastered to an exceptional degree, allowed him to achieve a wide range of tonal values, creating subtle modulations of light and shadow that gave his prints a painterly quality.
In his landscape paintings, Havell adopted the tenets of the Hudson River School, emphasizing the faithful depiction of nature, often imbued with a sense of awe and tranquility. His compositions are typically well-balanced, with a clear articulation of space and a meticulous rendering of foliage, rock formations, and water. He had a particular skill for capturing atmospheric effects, such as the hazy light of a summer afternoon or the clear, crisp air of autumn.
His influences were manifold. The English landscape tradition, particularly the picturesque style popularized by artists like William Gilpin (1724-1804) and painters such as J.M.W. Turner (1775-1851) and John Constable (1776-1837) (though Havell's style was more restrained than Turner's), undoubtedly shaped his early aesthetic. His father, Robert Havell Sr., was his primary mentor in the art of engraving. His long and intensive collaboration with John James Audubon was a defining influence, sharpening his observational skills and his ability to render natural forms with lifelike vitality.
Upon moving to America, he was influenced by and contributed to the Hudson River School. He would have been aware of the work of Thomas Cole, whose allegorical and romantic landscapes set the tone for the movement, and Asher B. Durand, who advocated for direct observation from nature. While perhaps not as overtly dramatic or symbolic as some of his Hudson River School contemporaries, Havell's work shares their deep appreciation for the American landscape and their commitment to detailed, naturalistic representation. His unique contribution was the refined sensibility of an English master engraver applied to the grand theatre of American nature.
Later Life and Enduring Legacy
Robert Havell Jr. spent the latter part of his life in Tarrytown, New York, a scenic village on the Hudson River that provided ample inspiration for his landscape paintings. He continued to paint and exhibit his work, earning recognition as a significant figure in American art. He passed away on November 11, 1878, and was buried in the historic Sleepy Hollow Cemetery in Sleepy Hollow, New York, a resting place for many notable figures, including Washington Irving.
Havell's legacy is twofold. Firstly, his work on The Birds of America is a monumental achievement in the history of printmaking and scientific illustration. The prints are not only invaluable ornithological records but also masterpieces of graphic art, treasured by collectors and institutions worldwide. His technical brilliance and artistic sensitivity were crucial to the success of Audubon's vision, and the Havell edition remains the definitive and most sought-after version of this iconic work.
Secondly, his contributions as a landscape painter, particularly his depictions of the Hudson River Valley, secure his place within the Hudson River School. His paintings offer a unique perspective, blending the meticulous detail of an engraver's eye with the romantic appreciation for nature characteristic of the era. His works are held in numerous prestigious collections, including the New-York Historical Society, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C., and the Albany Institute of History & Art, as well as university collections like the Chazen Museum of Art at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Robert Havell Jr.'s life and work exemplify the dedication of a master craftsman and the vision of a true artist. From the bustling print shops of London to the serene landscapes of the Hudson River, he consistently pursued excellence, leaving behind a body of work that continues to inspire awe and admiration for its technical mastery, its scientific importance, and its profound artistic beauty. He remains a testament to the powerful synergy that can exist between art and science, and a cherished chronicler of the natural world.
