Fuertes, Louis Agassiz

Louis Agassiz Fuertes was an American academic, ornithologist and wildlife artist. tHe is considered one of the best animal artists of the last 200 years. Fuertes' love of animals and landscapes shines through in his artwork, which shows the animals in realistic poses and settings. His art has had enduring popularity - for example, a 1924 oil painting, Wild Turkey, sold for $86,250 at auction in New York in 2012.

Fuertes was born New York. His father was a professor of engineering at Cornell University. Young Louis became interested in birds at very early age, securing birds with a slingshot and examining them carefully. Fuertes lectured on ornithology at Cornell University and particapted in many expeditions, often illustrating the animals encountered.
Fuertes was a prolific artist and produced some excellent portrayals of wild animals other than birds, as well as some of the best illustrations of dogs breeds.