Dr. Brett Barker will present “John James Audubon and the Birds of America” at 6:30 p.m. Monday, April 27, at the Waupaca Area Public Library.
Hosted by Winchester Academy, the program is free and open to the public.
Audubon, who lived from 1785 to 1851, was a pioneer in the field of natural history. His work, “The Birds of America,” is considered a an artistic masterpiece. It consists of 435 hand-colored, life-size prints, made from hand-engraved plates.
Audubon’s paintings of birds are true-to-life in their natural habitat. He often portrayed them as if caught in motion, especially feeding or hunting. He based his paintings on his extensive field observations.
In 1905, the National Audubon Society was incorporated and named in his honor. Its mission “is to conserve and restore natural ecosystems, focusing on birds.”
Barker will explore Audubon’s life, his contributions to ornithology and art, and the ways in which “The Birds of America” continues to inspire and intrigue today.
Barker is associate professor of history at the University of Wisconsin-Marathon County in Wausau, where he has taught since 2002. He is the author of Exploring Civil War Wisconsin: A Survival Guide for Researchers and a forthcoming book on the northern home front during the Civil War. In his spare time, he is also an avid birdwatcher.
Winchester Academy programs are funded through sponsors and tax-deductible donations.
Barker’s program is sponsored by Rose Dorow.
For more information about Winchester Academy, check winchesteracademywaupaca.org or contact Executive Director Ann Buerger Linden at 715-258-2927 or [email protected].