Plate 56. Red-shouldered Hawk 

This lithograph of a Red-shouldered Hawk, by John James Audubon, presents these birds perched, seemingly ready for flight. Hawks, throughout time, have captured our imagination, symbolizing power and foresight. Consider the ancient Egyptians, who revered Horus, a falcon-headed god, embodying protection and royal authority. Here, in Audubon’s rendering, the hawk's keen gaze and poised stance echo that ancestral symbolism of vigilance and strength. Yet, the context shifts. Audubon’s hawks are set amidst the American landscape, contributing to the complex discourse between the natural world and human understanding. This shift reflects the changing role of such powerful symbols; once associated with divinity and royalty, it is now used to evoke an intense awareness of the natural world around us. This image reminds us that cultural memory is not static. Rather, it is an ongoing dialogue between our past and present.