Ovibos Moschatus, Gmel. Musk Ox

Following the great success of his “The Birds of America” lithograph portfolio project John James Audubon began his next project "The Viviparous Quadrupeds of North America". Viviparous Quadrupeds often referred to as the “imperial folio” closely followed the same format as The Birds of America by sending the book out in sets of 5 plates each in 30 separate installments which spanned three separate volumes. John James enlisted his son John Woodhouse for the project and many of the later plates would be completed by J.W. as his father’s health began to decline. Each illustration was drawn by the Audubon’s and transferred to a stone etching by W.E. Hitchcock and R. Trembly, lithographed and printed by J.T. Bowen and finally hand painted in watercolor by an assembled team of artists.