Bald Eagle

Richard Wagener

Richard Wagener captures the intensity of the bald eagle in this woodengraving. The artist has done a number of prints of raptors. This powerful "Bald Eagle" seems to be be tensed for action, ready to attack as soon as a meal is spotted.

Of note regarding Wagener's woodengraving technique is his exclusive use of the single-line as opposed to multiple-line carving tools, meaning that each line, in its delicate uniformity, is carved individually. He carefully cuts away what he does not want to print and what is left prints black.

The bald eagle is the national bird of the United States of America and appears on its seal. In the late 20th century it was on the brink of extirpation in the contiguous United States. Populations have since recovered, and the species's status was upgraded from "endangered" to "threatened" in 1995, and removed from the list altogether in 2007.

Richard Wagener was born on September 3, 1944, in Texarkana, Arkansas. A notable American wood engraver, his works have been collected by over seventy-five public institutions. He studied Biology at the University of San Diego and earned an MFA in painting from Art Center School, Los Angeles (now Pasadena), California. In 2006, Wagener established the imprint 'Mixolydian Editions' for his own fine press projects.