Lot Essay
The youngest son of Charles Willson Peale, Titian Ramsay Peale was born in 1799 in Philadelphia. He worked primarily as a scientific illustrator and animal painter, inspired by the museum of natural science and art that his father founded, and which he later managed. Partaking in numerous expeditions, with destinations including the Rocky Mountains, the Mississippi River, Florida, Hawaii, and South America, Peale studied flora and fauna, which feature prominently in his work. He notably illustrated American Ornithology and Lepidoptera American before becoming a photographer later in his career.