Plate 136 Meadow Lark 

Plate 136 Meadow Lark was made by John James Audubon, a self-proclaimed American woodsman and naturalist. Audubon created a detailed and romanticized vision of the American wilderness while being deeply embedded in a society marked by the brutal institution of slavery. During the time that he was working, the United States was expanding westward, a movement that involved the displacement and genocide of Native American populations, a context we must bring to this depiction of nature. Audubon’s images, while seemingly benign depictions of bird families, were made by a man who profited from a racial hierarchy and a society that viewed nature as a resource to be exploited. This complex legacy asks us to consider the beauty of the artwork alongside the troubling aspects of its historical context. It invites reflection on how these images have shaped our understanding of the natural world, and how they might continue to influence our perspectives on conservation and environmental ethics.