Charley Harper (1922-2007) American, Bittern Birds Serigraph "Bittern Suite". Depicting bittern birds huddled together with momma bittern. Numbered lower left 1058/2500. Signed lower right. Lowest left says COPR Charles Harper 1978. 

To purchase this online at their website starts at $515. From the website: "It’s not the Waldorf, but it’s home and even with six quibbling siblings in the bed (and five in the middle) there’s love along with the lumps. Life for an itty bitty bittern is sweeter than bitter, but mealtimes are messy: breakfast in bed…and lunch…and dinner too. And no maid service. Is that why they hold their noses in the air? Or are they hoity-toity? neither. They’re melting into the marshscape by mimicking the tall grass swaying in the breeze. Nobody can hide better’n a bittern."

Provenance: Previously purchased by consignor at an auction house in Virginia.

Folder Size: 19 1/2 x 14 1/4 in.
Print Size: 15 1/2 x 10 1/4 in. 

Charley Harper (1922–2007) was an American modernist artist celebrated for his bold, geometric depictions of wildlife. He coined the term “minimal realism” to describe his style, which captured the essence of animals using vivid colors and simplified shapes. Harper’s work appeared in publications for the National Park Service, Audubon Society, and Ford Times, making nature accessible and engaging to a broad audience. His playful yet precise art continues to influence design and raise appreciation for the natural world. In his artwork, Harper imaginatively investigated the similarities between human and wild animal behaviors, but completely without anthropomorphism. "I learn as much as I can about the creatures that interest me, and they all do. I observe them and find out how they interact with each other and their environments and ask myself, What if?