Colorful prints of birds with scientific names commemorating individuals will be on display at the Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art in the exhibit, "A Wren by Any Other Name: Selections from the Louise Hauss and David Brent Miller Audubon Collection."
The exhibition, showcasing the prints of 19th-century American naturalist and artist John James Audubon, will be held Feb. 19-June 11.
As one of the Southeast's largest collections, the museum's Louise Hauss and David Brent Miller Audubon Collection holds more than 100 of Audubon's most valuable prints.
"It is a cornerstone collection," said Scott Bishop-Wagoner, JCSM curator of education for the museum's permanent Louise Hauss and David Brent Miller Audubon Collection.
The collection contains Audubon's greatest illustrated work, "The Birds of America."
According to Bishop-Wagoner in her explanatory piece on the exhibit, the number of known plants and animals increased in the 18th century, and scientists attempted to create a standardized system for classifying and organizing species.
Bishop-Wagoner said Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus developed a system of binomial nomenclature that allows for a standardized classification and naming system.
Each name is composed of the genus and species names, and as a whole is known as the scientific name or the Latin name.
Bishop-Wagoner said the species name is sometimes derived from the proper name of a place or person.
The occasion arises for a scientist to immortalize himself, a friend or a historic figure when he is describing and naming a new species, according to Bishop-Wagoner.
Bishop-Wagoner said the names of 39 people appear in the nomenclature of "The Birds of America."
"It's always an opportunity to see Audubon prints in a new light," Bishop-Wagoner said.
Andrew Henley, also a JCSM education curator, said the museum's newest Audubon exhibit will provide biographical sketches.
He said the exhibit will focus on the context in which the birds were named.
Marilyn Laufer, director of JCSM, said she considers the collection to be one of the greatest treasures of the museum.
Bishop-Wagoner said the upcoming exhibit will feature smaller birds.
"It's a particularly pretty exhibition," Bishop-Wagoner said.
According to JCSM's website, Audubon's works were originally appreciated most for their scientific value.
Around the time of his death, his art was perceived to be among the most accurate and earliest accounts of wildlife.
Historians consider Audubon's drawings, paintings and engravings some of the finest artistic achievements of the 19th century,
During the first half of the 20th century, David Brent Miller, who spent much of his life operating a successful family-owned lumber business in Brewton, obtained the Audubon collection now found at JCSM.
After his death, his wife, Louise Hauss, continued to add to his collection.
The Miller's granddaughter, Susan Phillips, donated the Audubon collection to Auburn University, according to JCSM.
She carried out her grandparents' wish to ensure the accessibility of the collection to Alabama citizens by providing funds to the museum for the conservation, study, care and continuous exhibition of the prints.
Do you like this story? The Plainsman doesn't accept money from tuition or student fees, and we don't charge a subscription fee. But you can donate to support The Plainsman.
