The public can now see the text and its beautiful colour plates in a four-month exhibition, launched on December 7 before an audience of school children and owls!
Councillor Warren Bradley, Executive Member for Leisure, said: “This exhibition is truly stunning and shows the extent of the priceless exhibits the library has in its collection.
“Audubon spent many happy times in Liverpool, so it is fitting that the city should display one of his best known works,” he continued.
Audubon grew up and studied art in France, travelling to America to fulfil his great ambition – to research and record all of the country’s bird species. He stressed accuracy and naturalness in his depictions, completing 435 engravings for what was to become one of the greatest publications of the 19th century. Birds of America is comprised of four volumes, each copy unique because of the engravings and hand colouring used in the production process.
A copy of the book was donated to Central Library in 1861 to mark the opening of the Brown Library and Museum. It had a close shave with a bomb in 1941, fortunately being rescued by a quick thinking librarian who got the volumes out before they were soaked by firemen fighting the flames.
Birds of America will in future be on permanent display at the library, which has recently secured funding from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. The money will facilitate a £31.5 million remodelling, including a room dedicated to the book. (Read more about this.)
“The exhibition is part of our commitment to making the Central Library not only a literary hub,” said Councillor Bradley, “but also a major visitor attraction for the city.”
