University of Nebraska - Lincoln DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln Zea E-Books Zea E-Books 1-3-2020 The Abyssinian Art of Louis Agassiz Fuertes in the Field Museum Paul A. Johnsgard Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/zeabook Part of the Art Practice Commons, Book and Paper Commons, Illustration Commons, Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecology Commons, and the Zoology Commons This Book is brought to you for free and open access by the Zea E-Books at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted for inclusion in Zea E-Books by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. The Abyssinian Art of Louis Agassiz Fuertes in the Field Museum Paul A. Johnsgard This book documents the paintings and drawings executed by Louis Agassiz Fuertes during the Field Museum of Natural History’s seven-month expedition to Ethiopia (Abyssinia) in 1926–27. During that time Fuertes completed 70 field watercolors that illustrate 55 species of birds and four species of mam- mals. He also executed 34 pencil drawings, which illustrate 13 species of mammals and 11 species of birds, plus numerous miscellaneous sketches and small watercolors. This book identifies and describes the biology of all 69 species of birds and mammals illustrated by Fuertes and includes 32 color repro- ductions of Fuertes’s watercolors that were published as a limited-edition album in 1930 by the Field Museum. The 60,000-word text provides brief summaries of all these species’ ecology, behavior, and re- productive biology as well as information about their current populations and conservation status. A re- view of Fuertes’s life, his influence on modern bird and wildlife art, and his participation in and artistic contributions to the Field Museum’s Abyssinian Expedition is also included, as well as more than 250 bibliographic citations. Zea Books Lincoln, Nebraska ISBN: 978-1-60962-165-0 doi 10.32873/unl.dc.zea.1097 The Abyssinian Art of Louis Agassiz Fuertes in the Field Museum Paul A. Johnsgard School of Biological Sciences University of Nebraska–Lincoln Zea Books Lincoln, Nebraska 2020 Text copyright © 2020 Paul A. Johnsgard ISBN: 978-1-60962-165-0 doi 10.32873/unl.dc.zea.1097 Composed in Bookman Old Style and Elephant types. Zea Books are published by the University of Nebraska–Lincoln Libraries Electronic (pdf) edition available online at https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/zeabook/ Print edition available from http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/unllib UNL does not discriminate based upon any protected status. Please go to http://www.unl.edu/equity/notice-nondiscrimination Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/biosciornithology Part of the Art Practice Commons, Ornithology Commons, and the Zoology Commons. [email protected] Abstract This book documents the paintings and drawings executed by Louis Agassiz Fuertes during the Field Museum of Natural History’s seven-month expedition to Ethiopia (Abyssinia) in 1926–27. During that time Fuertes completed 70 field watercolors that illustrate 55 species of birds and four species of mammals. He also executed 34 pencil drawings, which illustrate 13 species of mammals and 11 species of birds, plus numerous miscellaneous sketches and small watercol- ors. This book identifies and describes the biology of all 69 species of birds and mammals illustrated by Fuertes and includes 32 color reproductions of Fuertes’s watercolors that were published as a limited-edition album in 1930 by the Field Museum. The 60,000-word text provides brief summaries of all these species’ ecology, behavior, and reproductive biology as well as information about their current populations and conservation status. A review of Fuertes’s life, his in- fluence on modern bird and wildlife art, and his participation in and artistic contributions to the Field Museum’s Abyssinian Expedition is also included, as well as more than 250 bibliographic citations. Contents List of Plates . 4 Family Platysteiridae (Batises and Preface and Acknowledgments . 5 Wattle-eyes) . 94 Compiler’s Note . 7 Family Prionopidae (Helmetshrikes) . 94 Family Corvidae (Ravens, Crows, and I. Historical Introduction Relatives) . 96 Louis Agassiz Fuertes: His Beginnings, Family Sturnidae (Starlings and Birds, and Art . 9 Oxpeckers) . 99 Fuertes’s Artistic Legacy . 11 The Abyssinian Expedition . 13 III. Mammal Paintings and Drawings Family Colobidae (Colobid Monkeys) . 101 II. Bird Paintings and Drawings Family Cercopithidae (Cheek-pouch Family Podicipedidae (Grebes) . 17 Monkeys) . 103 Family Ardeidae (Herons and Bitterns) . 19 Subfamily Papioninae Family Ciconidae (Storks) . 20 (Baboon-macaques). 103 Family Threskiornithidae (Ibises and Subfamily Cercopithinae (Guenons) . 110 Spoonbills) . 21 Family Muridae (Murid Rats and Mice) . 111 Family Phoenicopteridae (Flamingoes) . 22 Family Rhizomyidae (Root-rats) . 111 Family Anatidae (Swans, Geese, and Family Canidae (Dogs and Relatives) . 112 Ducks) . 23 Family Herpestidae (Mongooses) . 114 Family Accipitridae (Vultures, Eagles, Family Procavidae (Hyraxes) . 115 Hawks, and Relatives) . 28 Family Bovidae (Horned Artiodactyls). 117 Family Sagittariidae (Secretary Bird) . 62 Tribe Tragelaphini (Spiral-horned Family Falconidae (Falcons) . 63 Bovines) . 117 Family Numididae (Guineafowl) . 65 Tribe Cephalophini (Duikers) . 117 Family Phasianidae (Pheasants, Tribe Neotragini (Dwarf Antelopes) . 120 Francolins, and Quails) . 66 Tribe Reduncini (Reduncine Family Gruidae (Cranes) . 67 Antelopes and Kobs) . 121 Family Otididae (Bustards) . 67 Family Jacanidae (Jacanas) . 70 Appendices Family Burhinidae (Thick-knees) . 71 1. Fuertes’s Abyssinian Art, Listed Family Charadriidae (Plovers and Alphabetically by Generic Names . 122 Lapwings) . 72 2. Fuertes’s Abyssinian Art, Listed Family Pteroclididae (Sandgrouse). 75 Alphabetically by English Names . 125 Family Columbidae (Pigeons and Doves) . 77 3. Miscellaneous Graphite Sketches and Family Musophagidae (Turacos and Small Watercolors . 128 Plantain-eaters) . 78 4. Summary of Fuertes’s Abyssinian Art Family Cuculidae (Cuckoos and Coucals) 81 Collection in the Field Museum . 128 Family Trogonidae (Trogons) . 82 Family Alcedinidae (Kingfishers) . 84 References . 129 Family Upupidae (Hoopoes). 88 Internet Sources . 136 Family Bucerotidae (Hornbills) . 89 Family Capitonidae (Barbets) . 93 Index to Species Accounts . 137 3 Plates* 1. White-backed Night Heron (African Night Heron) . 18 2. Spur-winged Goose . 24 3. Cape Teal . 26–27 4. Black-winged (Black-shouldered) Kite . 28–29 5. Scissor-tailed (African Swallow-tailed) Kite . 31 6. African Fish Eagle (African Sea Eagle) . 34 7. African Fish Eagle, immature (African Sea Eagle) . 35 8. Lammergeier (Bearded Vulture) . 38–39 9. Egyptian Vulture . 42 10. Hooded Vulture (White-necked Vulture) . 44 11. Eared (Lappet-faced) Vulture . 47 12. White-headed Vulture . 49 13. Bateleur (Bateleur Eagle) . 51 14. Bateleur, group in flight (Bateleur Eagle) . 53 15. African Harrier Hawk . 55 16. Tawny Eagle (African Tawny Eagle) . 58 17. Secretary Bird . 60–61 18. Lanner Falcon (Abyssinian Lanner) . 64 19. Black-bellied Bustard . 69 20. Four-banded Sandgrouse (Lowe’s Sand-grouse) . 74–75 21. Bruce’s Green Pigeon (Green Pigeon) . 76–77 22. Eastern Gray Plantain-eater (Gray Plantain Eater) . 79 23. Narina Trogon . 83 24. Gray-headed Kingfisher . 85 25. Malachite Kingfisher (Pigmy Kingfisher) . 87 26. Silvery-cheeked Hornbill (Crested Hornbill) . 92–93 27. White-crested Helmetshrike (Nile Helmet Shrike) . 95 28. Thick-billed Raven . 97 29. Gelada, group (Gelada Baboon) . 106 30. Gelada (Gelada Baboon) . 108–109 31. Ethiopian Wolf (Abyssinian Wolf) . 112–113 32. Bush Duiker (Abyssinian Duiker) . 118–119 *Note: The species names appearing in the Album of Abyssinian Birds and Mammals from Paintings by Louis Agassiz Fuertes are shown in parentheses where they differ from those in current use. 4 Preface and Acknowledgments The year 2019 marked the 120th anniversary cation of Baby Bird Portraits by George Miksch of the first colored reproduction of a Louis Sutton: Watercolors in the Field Museum. Agassiz Fuertes painting—a watercolor of two As soon as that book appeared I began wist- seaside sparrows—published in the ornitholog- fully thinking again of Fuertes’s African birds. ical journal Auk when Fuertes was about 25 In the summer of 1998 I made a formal sug- years old. Although Fuertes’s life spanned little gestion to Mr. Williams that we consider pro- more than a half-century, and nearly all living ducing a book containing all the bird paintings ornithologists today were born after his tragic and their associated graphite drawings, with 1927 death, his influence on natural history the text by me, and the hope that perhaps sim- art has not lessened. This publication is a tes- ilar descriptions of the relatively few mammal timony to his enduring artistic legacy and is images could be separately produced by some- dedicated to his memory. one more qualified than I. In September I fol- During a 1995 visit to the Field Museum of lowed up with a proposed outline for the book Natural History in Chicago, and with the per- and a preliminary text. I visited the Field Mu- mission of Benjamin W. Williams, Special Col- seum again during November 1998 to examine lections librarian of the museum, I was allowed the paintings and drawings more closely and to to see the original set of paintings and draw- discuss possible publication plans. ings that Fuertes executed during a 1926–27 Mr. Williams