John James Audubon

John James Audubon (1785-1851) was a celebrated US naturalist, ornithologist, and artist of French Huguenot origin. He was author of two great works, the "Birds of America" (1827-38) and the "Quadrupeds of America," drawn and illustrated by himself. In the Birds of America, he portrayed even the largest birds life-size and painted them in action. Cuvier has characterised the work as "the most magnificent monument that Art up to that time had raised to Nature".