In a topsy turvy time wonder | wonder | world finds great comfort in watching nature documentaries. As we move from spring into summer here in the East Coast the sunshine is brilliant and the warm air is filled with birdsong.
As we cool off indoors working on our various projects or sit out in the sunshine toasting in its warmth, we are enthralled by the Audubon documentary featured on Amazon Prime.
DVD cover
It is an extensive coverage of the life of naturalist John James Audubon. Released in 2017, it is written and directed by Al Reinert. Audubon's influence on ornithology and natural history are astounding and wonderfully narrated by Sam Eliot.
Portrait of Audubon by John Syme, 1826
John James Audubon was an artist and a naturalist of monumental achievements. His story is both surprising and dramatic. He was not born in America, yet he saw more of the North American continent than anyone alive. His alarm over the destruction of nature became his prophesy.
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| Two white gyrfalcons by Audubon |
When he was 35 years old, he declared his intent to paint every bird in North America. There are 435 life-sized prints, including six birds that are now extinct less than 200 years after Audubon painted them. His collection of paintings serve as an ornithological history of North America, as more birds fall prey to extinction.
Rose Breasted Grosbeak
The program brings to vibrant life Audubon's timeless work with a dazzling montage of the birds he meticulously immortalized. The Audubon documentary is a visual celebration of the natural world as described in Audubon's personal writings.
Added interviews of specialists reveal the man, explore his art, and put his groundbreaking work in today's perspective.
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