Despite being one of the most famous and recognizable of earth’s extinct bird species, we know surprisingly little about the Dodo. Wiped out before the end of the 17th Century, it disappeared before early researchers could observe much of its appearance or behavior. What we do know about the Dodo primarily derives from scant journal entries from that period and more recent research done on excavated remains. In spite of this dearth of information and the 300 years since its extinction, many today feel a strong affection for the Dodo.
Dodo Hand-Painted Woodblock Print, Papillon Press, 2024.
Prior to 1598, the island of Mauritius–off the coast of Madagascar–was uninhabited by people; rather, plant and animal life, including the Dodo, thrived in the absence of humans. The only threat posed to Dodos were the sandcrabs that would attack their nests. However, that year, Dutch sailors visited the island; they were surprised by the docile nature of the Dodo. It was not afraid of humans, and these and later visitors found it easy prey. Dodos were killed–often clubbed to death–and served as food. But the bird was not known to be very good eating, and hunting may not have been the sole reason for its extinction; habitat loss also may have accounted for its demise. Probably the greatest factor, however, was the introduction of predatory invasive species such as cats, rats, and pigs which came to the island on ships sailed by European explorers and settlers. Because Dodos nested on the ground, their eggs were especially vulnerable to these predators. From the settlers point of view, the Dodo’s docility and fearlessness translated into stupidity, which reputation has long outlasted the species itself.
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, perpetuating the inaccuracies.
As to color, there are no contemporary illustrations of the Dodo’s coloration; only scant written descriptions which are not comprehensive. Some later paintings and lithographs suggest certain coloration, and many of these later illustrators also copied each other. What we do know 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 it.
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 researchers in rebuilding more complete skeletons and models and helping to 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 native to the Island of Mauritius. It is known that the Dodo visited watery landscapes; thus, I have represented it in such a landscape here.
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 and the wood is hard and thus not prone to splintering. As the wood is relatively hard, a block can also withstand many impressions. I then carved the block with hand chisels.
Completed Dodo woodblock, Papillon Press, 2024.
After completing the carving, I locked the block into the bed of our 1911 Potter Proof Press, where we print the edition.
Dodo block being printed, Papillon Press, 2024.
After pulling the print from the press, we let it dry, and once dried, we paint it with watercolors.
Dodo print being painted with watercolors, Papillon Press, 2024.
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