The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of March 29, 2024

Peregrine Falcons (Duck Hawks)

Peregrine Falcons (Duck Hawks)

c. 1827
(American, 1785–1851)
Framed: 74.9 x 101 x 10.2 cm (29 1/2 x 39 3/4 x 4 in.); Unframed: 64.5 x 91.5 cm (25 3/8 x 36 in.)

Did You Know?

Clocked at speeds more than 240 mph, peregrine falcons are the world's fastest animals.

Description

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.
  • c. 1827-
    John James Audubon [1785-1851], New York, NY, by descent to his wife, Lucy Bakewell Audubon
    ?
    Lucy Bakewell Audubon [1787-1874], New York, NY, by descent to her son, John Woodhouse Audubon
    ?
    John Woodhouse Audubon [1812-1862], New York, NY, by descent to his daughter, Lucy A. Williams
    ?
    Lucy Audubon Williams [1838-1909], Greenburgh, Westerchester, NY, probably by descent to her grandson, Charles F. Edwards
    ?
    Charles F. Edwards [1878-1954], Chicago, IL and Alameda, CA, by descent to his sister, Margaret McCormick
    ?
    Mrs. H.V. (Margaret) McCormick, Long Island, NY and Staten Island, NY, sold to Kennedy Galleries
    by 1964
    (Kennedy Galleries, New York, NY, sold to the Cleveland Museum of Art)
    1964-
    The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, Ohio
  • Invoice from Kennedy Galleries, Oct. 20, 1964, Director Files, Sherman Lee, Box 36, File 10: Kennedy Galleries, Ingalls Library, the Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
    Henry Sayles Francis, letter to Sherman Lee, Oct. 2, 1964, in CMA curatorial file.
    Martha G. Thomas, letter to Charles E. Winters, Sept. 29, 1992, in CMA curatorial file.
    Martha G. Thomas, letter to Charles E. Winters, Sept. 29, 1992, in CMA curatorial file.
    Martha G. Thomas, letter to Charles E. Winters, Sept. 29, 1992, in CMA curatorial file.
    Martha G. Thomas, letter to Charles E. Winters, Sept. 29, 1992, in CMA curatorial file.
    William Talbot, letter to Richard J. Koke, Feb. 16, 1977, in CMA curatorial file.
    William Talbot, letter to Richard J. Koke, Feb. 16, 1977, in CMA curatorial file.
    Martha G. Thomas, letter to Charles E. Winters, Sept. 29, 1992, in CMA curatorial file.
    William Talbot, letter to Richard J. Koke, Feb. 16, 1977, in CMA curatorial file.
    Martha G. Thomas, letter to Charles E. Winters, Sept. 29, 1992, in CMA curatorial file.
    Kathman, Barbara A. A Cleveland Bestiary. Cleveland, OH; Cleveland Museum of Art, 1981. Reproduced: p. 42; Mentioned: p. 41, p. 62
    Adams, Henry. What's American about American art?: a gallery tour in the Cleveland Museum of Art. Cleveland: Cleveland Museum of Art, 2008. Reproduced: p. 56 - 57
    Cleveland Museum of Art. The CMA Companion: A Guide to the Cleveland Museum of Art. Cleveland: Cleveland Museum of Art, 2014. Mentioned and reproduced: P. 45
  • John James Audubon: American Artist and Naturalist. Cleveland Museum of Natural History (organizer) (February 10-April 29, 2007).
    Cleveland Musuem of Natural History, Cleveland, OH (February 10, 2007 - April 29, 2007): "John James Audubon: American Artist and Naturalist"
    New York, Grey Art Gallery and Study Center, John James Audubon & His Sons (26 April - 5 June 1982) illus. cat. no. 31, p. 69 as Duck Hawks by John James Audubon (they attribute it to the artist himself, not his sons).
    A Cleveland Bestiary. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (October 15-December 16, 1981).
    Cleveland, The Cleveland Museum of Art, A Cleveland Bestiary (14 October-15 December 1981) illus. cat. no. 36, p. 42; listed p. 62, no, 36 as Duck Hawks.
    Science within Art. The Cleveland Museum of Art (organizer) (February 13-April 20, 1980); Beck Center for the Arts, Lakewood, OH (June 1-July 1, 1980).
    Cleveland, The Cleveland Museum of Art, Science Within Art (13 February-20 April 1980), illus. cat. no. 13, p. 28, pp. 28-29 as Duck Hawks.
    Heritage and Horizon: American Painting 1776 - 1976. Albright-Knox Art Gallery, Buffalo, NY (organizer) (March 7-April 11, 1976); The Detroit Institute of Arts, Detroit, MI (May 2-June 13, 1976); The Toledo Museum of Art, Toledo, OH (July 4-August 15, 1976); The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (September 8-October 10, 1976).
    Buffalo, Albright-Knox Art Gallery, Heritage and Horizon: American Paintings 1776-1976 (6 March-11 April 1976); traveled to Detroit, Detroit Institute of Arts (5 May-13 June 1976); to Toledo, Toledo Museum of Art (4 July-15 August 1976); Cleveland, The Cleveland Museum of Art (8 September-10 October 1976); illu. cat. no. 7 as Duck Hawks.
    Work of John James Audubon. Cleveland Museum of Natural History, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (April 30-June 30, 1974).
    Cleveland, The Cleveland Museum of Natural History, John James Audubon (30 April-31 June 1974); case D.
    Liverpool, England, Liverpool Royal Academy, Audubon Exhibition (1827), possibly no. 188 as Two Hawks Seizing on Ducks.
    Year in Review (1964). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (December 8, 1964-January 31, 1965).
    Cleveland, Natural Science Museum (1964); indefinite loan.
  • {{cite web|title=Peregrine Falcons (Duck Hawks)|url=false|author=John James Audubon|year=c. 1827|access-date=29 March 2024|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1964.351