"Olson deftly sketches a lively portrait of the man, hard at work procuring specimens to depict; sketching birds from life and death; working late into the night by oil lamplight. She gives us his rich inner life as well, as he exults at praise and crashes when critics try to douse his flame. . . . Olson’s refreshing observations on possible influences on Audubon’s art are a special delight."

Julie Zickefoose | Wall Street Journal

"Throughout the lively text, with accompanying color images, Olson situates Audubon among the artists of his time, pulling him into a lineage of oil painters, watercolorists and engravers. . . . Thorough, engaging. . . . Olson’s clarity of prose makes for quick reading, and despite the density of info she digs into, she never belabors her point nor moves too far from her stated purpose. The result is a crisp and enjoyably focused narrative. I closed the book wanting more, inspired to delve into the many books and texts listed under references and further reading. Audubon as Artist situates Audubon in a rightful place amid a lineage of artists, both historical and contemporary. He may have struggled to accept himself, but his glorious images have stood the test of time; his birds continue to captivate and inspire. Olson’s stylish book reminds us that no artist goes it alone—influence and connection are inherent to every artist’s life."

Sara Rauch | Newcity

"In her sumptuous new book, Audubon as Artist, Olson not only celebrates that work but also anatomizes it, drawing genealogical, even cladistic connections between Audubon’s famous bird-illustrations and the traditions of Western art that came before him. . . . Audubon as Artist is amazingly alive with art of all kinds. . . . Paging through Olson’s book provides one imagination-stirring juxtaposition after another. . . . Of all the countless books that have been written about the man and his work, Audubon as Artist would have delighted Audubon the most."

Steve Donoghue | Open Letters Review

"A beautiful and masterfully researched book that gives depth to this singular artist’s work. Not to mention it is a joy to flip through its many colorful pages."

Bookmunch

“Audubon as Artist—as meticulously researched as it is spiritedly written—will completely revolutionize our understanding of Audubon's complicated legacy. Everyone seems to know Audubon these days; Olson, one of the leading art historians and museum curators working today, shows us how little we have in fact known. The first scholar to treat Audubon's desire to be admired both as an artist and an ornithologist with the seriousness it deserves, she elucidates the art that influenced him and the artistic techniques he cultivated to create what Cuvier rightly called the ‘greatest human monument to nature.’”

Christoph Irmscher, distinguished professor of English at Indiana University, author of “The Poetics of Natural History” and coeditor of “Audubon at Sea”

“Although so much has been written about Audubon, Olson brings new and fresh insights into the life and work of the artist-naturalist. In Audubon as Artist, with her customary scholarly flair she presents the reader with a detailed and fascinating outline of Audubon’s development as an artist and the art that influenced him. This richly illustrated book brilliantly demonstrates how his awareness of European, Asian and even Indian painting was integrated into his own unique art. Audubon as Artist clearly shows that Audubon was much more than an illustrator of birds—he was America’s first great watercolourist and should be placed firmly within a wider artistic tradition.”

Mark Glancy, curator of “Audubon’s Birds of America,” National Museums Scotland 2022 and touring

"This fresh look at the artistry of a great American painter and naturalist delivers delightful revelations with unrivaled authority. Outstanding!"

Richard Rhodes, author of "John James Audubon: The Making of an American," and Pulitzer Prize laureate

"Olson provides a refreshingly new look at The Birds of America from an art-historical perspective with a deep background on its creation. Thoroughly researched, beautifully written, and sumptuously illustrated, this is a book all Audubon enthusiasts will want to own."

Robert McCracken Peck, author of "The Natural History of Edward Lear," curator of art and artifacts at the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University.