Past Exhibition

Prints by Mark Catesby

This is a drawing of a squirrel next to a branch with flowers. The image shows a side profile of a squirrel with a large, bushy tail, standing on a patch of ground. The squirrel is shaded realistically, with detailed fur. Next to the squirrel, there is a tall plant with oval leaves and multiple orange flowers. Near the squirrel, on the right side of the image, there are two bulbs with roots exposed. The composition focuses on natural and botanical elements, showcasing the interaction between the squirrel and its environment.
Mark Catesby, The Grey Fox Squirrel (Sciurus cinereus), published 1731-1743, etching and engraving with hand coloring on laid paper, Gift of Dr. and Mrs. George Benjamin Green, 1967.10.12

Details

  • Dates

    -

  • Locations

    Ground Floor, Galleries G-7, G-8
This is a drawing of a squirrel next to a branch with flowers. The image shows a side profile of a squirrel with a large, bushy tail, standing on a patch of ground. The squirrel is shaded realistically, with detailed fur. Next to the squirrel, there is a tall plant with oval leaves and multiple orange flowers. Near the squirrel, on the right side of the image, there are two bulbs with roots exposed. The composition focuses on natural and botanical elements, showcasing the interaction between the squirrel and its environment.
Mark Catesby, The Grey Fox Squirrel (Sciurus cinereus), published 1731-1743, etching and engraving with hand coloring on laid paper, Gift of Dr. and Mrs. George Benjamin Green, 1967.10.12

Overview: 40 etchings were on view by the English artist-naturalist Mark Catesby (1683-1749) from the collection of Dr. and Mrs. George B. Green of Arlington, Virginia. 13 of these were given to the Gallery. Impressions of flora and fauna gathered during Catesby's visit to his sister in Williamsburg, Virginia, 1712-1726, were recorded in 220 plates for his 2-volume The Natural History of the Carolinas, Florida, and the Bahamas, 1731-1743.

A copy of this publication was lent for the occasion by Paul Mellon, then president of the National Gallery. The exhibition was shown at the same time as the prints of Charles Meryon.

You may also like

The image features a series of horizontal lines and a rectangle filled with star shapes at the top left corner. The flag consists of green and black stripes with a red rectangle in the upper left containing a pattern of blue stars. Below, a more subdued version mirrors the form with tones of gray and white. The composition is set against a textured gray background. On the right is a logo that reads America's 250th in shades of white, red, and blue against a black circle background.

Exhibition:  American Icon

This painting shows a canyon landscape viewed from a high vantage point, with ridges and formations extending into the distance. The horizon is positioned high in the painting, with the light-blue sky featuring soft white clouds. The canyon displays vibrant shades of red, pink, and green, contrasting with shadowed areas in darker shades of blue and gray. In the bottom right corner of the painting, there are some geometric white and blue patterns overlayed on top of the canyon.

Exhibition:  Homelands