September 23, 2024
It is surprising how little is known about a bird that is so recognizable, but that is the case with the Dodo. Because of its extinction in the 17th Century it was gone before much research and study was done. What is known about the Dodo is primarily gleaned from scant journal entries from the period and research done on excavated remains. In spite of this dearth of information, and it being extinct for over 300 years, much affection is given the Dodo.
Dodo Hand-Painted Woodblock Print, Papillon Press, 2024.
In 1598, the island of Mauritius—off the coast of Madagascar—knew no human habitation. Rather, plant and animal life, including the Dodo, flourished and coexisted. That same year, Dutch sailors visited the island and were surprised by the docile nature of the bird. It was not afraid of this new human presence, and these and later visitors found them to be easy prey. The Dodos were killed in numbers, clubbed to death, and served as food. But the bird was not known to be very good eating, and hunting may not be the sole reason for its extinction; habitat loss also may have accounted for their demise. But probably the greatest factor was the introduction of predatory domestic animals such as cats, rats, and pigs which were brought to the island by ships from populated countries. Because Dodos nested on the ground, their nests with eggs were especially vulnerable to predators. Previous to human settlement the Dodo had few natural enemies. The sand crab was one. But in spite of the threat of sand crabs attacking nests, the Dodo was able to survive. This dynamic resulted in a bird that was unafraid of the presence of humans and this fearlessness was looked upon as stupidity. But rather than stupidity, this bird’s character was on of fearlessness and trust.
Since then, the Dodo has become a symbol of extinction and the potential of damage to a species as a result of negligent human interaction.
Drawing the Dodo comes with certain challenges. Namely, what did the bird look like? There isn’t a photo of one, and illustrations from the period and subsequent illustrations vary wildly.
Dodo depicted in Brockhaus’ Kleines Konversations-Lexikon, circa 1910
The early depictions were sketches or black and white engravings and many of these illustrations vary in their depictions of the bird’s size, proportions, and details. Many later illustrations were based on earlier versions, carrying on the inaccuracies.
When it comes to color, there are no contemporary illustrations of the Dodo’s coloration; only scant written descriptions which are not comprehensive. There are some later paintings and lithographs which suggest certain coloration, and many of these later illustrators also copied each other. What is known is that the Dodo was not a brilliantly colored bird; it was generally of dull appearance. But because of the Dodo’s singular appearance, the variation of artistic representation poses no challenge to recognizing this bird.
So in setting out to draw the Dodo, certain questions needed answering. What were the feathers like? What proportions should be adhered to? What about coloration? There are few details about the Dodo’s feathers in written accounts beyond that the head looked bald, that there were a few larger feathers for non-functioning wings, and there were some sort of plume-like tail feathers. The physical structure and appearance of the bird benefit from research done in the last few decades. Bones have been excavated from swamps in Mauritius, aiding researches in rebuilding more complete skeletons and models helping determine more accurately the bird’s proportions. Color is still anyone’s guess.
After looking at many illustrations as well as the result of more recent research, I drew the Dodo, embellishing it with some of my own interpretations.
The plants in the woodcut are all endemic to the Island of Mauritius. It is known that the Dodo did visit watery landscapes, so that is the setting in which it is placed.
Plant life in the Dodo block, carved by Papillon Press, 2024.
With the drawing complete, I transferred the design to a clean block of cherry wood. Fruit woods are ideal for woodcuts as the grain is tight, the wood is hard, and doesn’t splinter easily. As the wood is relatively hard, a block can withstand many impressions. The block is then carved with hand chisels.
Completed Dodo woodblock, Papillon Press, 2024.
When the carving is finished, it is locked into the bed of our 1911 Potter Proof Press, where we print the edition.
Once the print is pulled it is left to dry, and once dry it is painted with watercolors.
Dodo print being painted with watercolors, Papillon Press, 2024.
Comments will be approved before showing up.
August 16, 2023
June 27, 2023
April 06, 2022
Many of our projects start from nature. Both of us are big nature lovers, and nature is incredibly inspiring. Our linen napkins are no exception.
Sign up to get the latest on sales, new releases and more…
© 2024 Papillon Press.
Powered by Shopify