Plate 94 Grass Finch or Bay-winged Bunting 

John James Audubon made this print, ‘Plate 94 Grass Finch or Bay-winged Bunting’ sometime between 1827 and 1838. The image is based on Audubon’s observation and classification of North American birds. Consider the social and cultural context: in the 19th century, the scientific study of the natural world was bound up with colonial expansion and resource extraction. Audubon's prints were intended as scientific documents, but they also aestheticized nature for a growing public interested in ornithology. His meticulous details speak to a culture eager to classify and control the natural world. The selection of the bird is also culturally significant. The Grass Finch, a common species, naturalizes the idea of progress as something harmonious and natural. To understand Audubon's work, it's important to consider not only the techniques of natural history illustration but also the economic and political structures that made such projects possible. Researching primary sources, such as field notes, scientific papers, and period illustrations, can reveal new insights into the social life of images.