Adoption and Foster Care Biographies - Biography of Adoptee John J Audubon - Artist and Naturalist
Biography of John J. Audubon
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Identity: Adoptee, Artist and Naturalist
Born:April 26, 1785 - Haiti
Birth Name: Jean Rabine
Died:January 27, 1851 - New York
Bio:Jean Rabine was born on April 26, 1785, to Jean Audubon and Jeanne Rabine in Les Cayes, Haiti. His parents were both French. His father was a sea captain, merchant, and plantation owner. His mother was a servant who died within a few months of her son's birth.
In August, 1788, Jean traveled with his father to France. There Jean met his father's wife, Anne Moynet Audubon, and in March of 1789, Jean was adopted by his father and Anne. His name was changed to Jean-Jacques Fougere Audubon. He was well educated by his family and showed a great fondness for drawing, nature, and music.
When Jean turned 18 years of age, Emperor Napoleon was conscripting for his army, so his father sent him to Pennsylvania to avoid the draft, and to manage a farm. This was the beginning of Jean's many business failures. He spent much of his time drawing birds and playing rather than working. During this time, Jean met his future wife, Lucy Bakewell.
Jean started using the English version of his name, John James Audubon. He married Lucy when he was 23 years of age. They had 2 boys and 2 girls. The girls died in infancy.
In 1812, when he was 27, John James Audubon became and American citizen.
John tried various businesses, including a dry goods store and a saw mill. The poet John Keats lost money with Audubon's unsuccessful 1819 riverboat business.
1819 was a bad year. Audubon was 34 years old and having problems keeping his business schemes afloat. His second daughter died. He declared bankruptcy. He was arrested and went to prison due to his debts. He earned some money by drawing charcoal portraits.
At 35, John Audubon decided to follow his dream and paint all the American birds that he could find.
He was not the first person to attempt this: Alexander Wilson was the first and Audubon had met him 13 years earlier. But Audubon was very different from Wilson. He brought a very natural style of drawing to the table. It looked like his birds were going to leap off the pages. Over the next 18 years he collected and drew 435 different birds for "Birds of America."When he was 55, John started another ambitious project: to document mammals. It was titled "Viviparous Quadrupeds of North America". However his 2 sons had to finish this project. His eye sight was failing and he was disabled by a stroke when he was 61.
John James Audubon died in 1851. He was 66 years old.
Lucy had little money when John died and was forced to sell many of his drawings, water colors and plates from the "Birds of America". The Smithsonian decided not purchase any of Audubon's art work, but Lucy did sell some of the work to the New York Historical Society. Unfortunately, the copper plates went to a scrap metal dealer.
Lucy, a teacher, had a student named George Grinnell. In 1886 Grinnell founded the first Audubon Society for the protection of birds.
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