Head of a Crane

View Larger Image

Download

jpeg(129.41 kb)

For information on accessing a high resolution version of this image suitable for print reproduction please visit the Rights and Reproduction page.

Artist

Karl Bodmer

Birth and death dates

1809 - 1893

Artist Nationality

Swiss

Title

Head of a Crane

Date

October 6, 1833

Dimensions

10 5/8 × 14 7/8 in. (27 × 37.8 cm)

Medium

Watercolor and graphite on paper

Institution

Joslyn Art Museum

Credit Line

Gift of the Enron Art Foundation

Accession Number

1986.49.337

Rights (i.e. copyright information)

Joslyn Art Museum

Photographer credit

Photograph © Bruce M. White, 2019

Commentary

On September 30 Maximilian's party arrived again at Fort Union. In his journal Maximilian noted that it had taken fifteen days to travel the distance downriver from Fort McKenzie, or only half the time that it had earlier required to cover the same distance upriver. Maximilian also mentioned that, once ashore, he had time to open his cases of specimens, which had become waterlogged during the return voyage. "This kept us busy for several days," he writes, adding that Bodmer also had time to finish several of his drawings. On October 6 hunters returned to the fort with an assortment of game including a "white crane," the head of which Bodmer sketched on this date. An inscription at the lower left, while giving Fort Union as the location where the subject was observed, carries a September date. Bodmer was at Fort McKenzie in September, so one may suppose that the inscription was added later or that Bodmer forgot what month it was when he made the study. It seems to be the one referred to in Maximilian's journal for October 6.

References in Journal

October 6, 1833

Labels:

study , zoological study

Approximate Depicted Location:

Fort Union, North Dakota