 Fuertes, Louis Agassiz  Louis Agassiz Fuertes, one of the most
widely acclaimed American ornithological artists of his time,
painted this watercolor of flamingos probably around 1900, a
period of extensive travel on a number of scientific
expeditions, and of remarkable productivity. The dramatic
flamingo, with its characteristic vibrant plumage and graceful
stance, has appealed to the human imagination for centuries. In
this fully worked, refined watercolor, Fuertes depicted a group
of the vivid birds standing calmly in shallow, calm water, which
reflects the violet haze of the dusk sky as well as the shadows
of the elegant birds. In the background, a group of trees can be
glimpsed, while hills rise towards the distant horizon. It is a
splendid landscape from which the birds emerge with utmost
clarity, their forms and actions captured perfectly by this
perceptive and gifted artist.  Born in Ithaca, New York, Fuertes
began drawing birds at an early age, and his illustrations
qualified him as an associate memb