Cleveland Museum of Art

Peregrine Falcons (Duck Hawks)

John James Audubon

Date

c. 1827

Medium

oil on canvas

Culture

America

Department

American Painting and Sculpture

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

A vigorous portrayal of two peregrine falcons with their fresh duck prey, John James Audubon's painting relates to his groundbreaking Birds of America publication that sought to depict every species of native North American bird posed in action with elements of their habitats. Based on his artistic and scientific successes, Audubon became the premier naturalist in the United States. After his death, he continued to be associated with bird and nature conservation, and several organizations devoted to such causes were named in his honor. However, in recent years, as Audubon's slaveholding and looting of Indigenous graves has become more widely acknowledged, an increasing number of these groups are changing their names. Clocked at speeds more than 240 mph, peregrine falcons are the world's fastest animals.

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