John James Audubon: Drawn from Nature

John James Audubon (1785-1851), America's foremost chronicler of 19th-century bird life, was always embarrassed by his illegitimate birth (a product of his father's relationship with a chambermaid). He acquired his lifelong passion for birds and nature when his father sent him to the French countryside to avoid the violent excesses of the French Revolution. Filmmaker Al Reinert's PBS-aired American Masters documentary, featuring Sam Elliott as the voice of Audubon, examines Audubon's unlikely path, which led him to America (his father sent him to avoid conscription in Napoleon's army). Settling outside Philadelphia, Audubon explored the countryside, eventually meeting his bride to be, Lucy Bakewell. They moved to Kentucky, where Audubon was a storekeeper, but business failures led him to travel down the Mississippi River to New Orleans—enduring long, painful separations from his wife while earning a living tutoring on local plantations. Here, Audubon took long walks, always alert to "nature's own music," while refining his drawing talents and proving to be a keen observer of each bird species' plumage, posture, and movement. After assembling enough life-sized drawings for a portfolio, Audubon embarked for Europe, enduring early setbacks, but ultimately proving to be a genius at self-marketing, attending parties where he played the role of a long-haired woodsman, startling guests with wild turkey and other animal calls. His illustrations, sold piecemeal by subscription, culminated in his oversized 1838 classic Birds of America. Audubon visited bird nesting sites in Labrador, Florida's "unknown country," and parts of the American West, while his later years were marked by a concern for bird and nature conservation. Featuring tributes from artist Jamie Wyeth and scholars, this film—presented in both its 90-minute theatrical release version and a 60-minute broadcast edition—depicts Audubon's genius at drawing birds found in the American wilderness. Highly recommended. Aud: H, C, P. (S. Rees)