Seeking PatronageJohn James Audubon (1785-1851) was one of America’s greatest scientists. An immigrant to America and with no formal education, he revolutionized the field of ornithology (the study of birds). He was the first person to create images of birds in full-scale, using exact measurements. In his pictures, he also painted the birds in their natural habitat, showing how they are part of a larger ecosystem. These techniques were revolutionary in the sciences. And his greatest work, The Birds of America, is considered a masterpiece of science as well as art. Today, there are only 117 complete, original copies of The Birds of America double elephant folio (2 feet by 3 feet pages) and one is in New Bedford. A massive undertaking in 1826, publishing the book cost a tremendous amount of money. To pay for his work, Audubon sold pre-order subscriptions around the country. Since New Bedford was one of the wealthiest cities in America, he came here seeking buyers. James Arnold was the only person in town to preorder a copy of the double-elephant folio, an extra-large, life-size print of each image for $870 ($22,890.14 in 2021). Audubon stayed in the Arnold Mansion on County Street (Home - James Arnold Mansion, Inc.) during this time. That original copy is still in New Bedford today. It is in the collection at New Bedford Free Public Library (Main Library - Library - City of New Bedford Official Website (newbedford-ma.gov)). Fifty years after his death, a society of ornithologists named their organization after him, The Audubon Society. The story of James Audubon’s time in New Bedford paints a broader picture about how wealthy people are often patrons of the arts and sciences. In the 1800s, artists found patronage among the many tremendously wealthy people living here. Much of this art is still in the collection of the libraries and museums of New Bedford today. |
Last updated: January 25, 2021