Centenary of J.J. Audubon, 1985

John James Audubon (1785-1851) is a legend, revered bird watchers and art enthusiasts alike as America's preeminent naturalist and bird artist his instantly recognizable prints adorn many homes and offices throughout the nation. Given his talent and popularity, it's difficult to appreciate the struggle he endured to bring his ornithological images to the public. Audubon was born in the French colony of Santo Domingo (now Haiti), the son of Captain Jean Audubon, a French sailor and adventurer, and one of his mistresses, Jeanne Rabine, a French chambermaid, who died six months later. Beginning at the age of three he was raised by his father and an indulgent stepmother in Nantes, an industrial city on the Loire River in western France. Young Audubon acquired the graces of a country gentleman, received a bit of naval training, learned to love nature and wildlife, and began to draw.

http://www.haleysteele.com/hs_root/jjaudubon/life/bio.cfm

First Day Covers (FDC)

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Note: Blanco or airmail envelopes are not shown here but do exist.