Robert Bateman Great Blue Heron in Flight Signed N

Updated September 18, 2026

This auction ended on October 4, 2026. See upcoming auctions from Oakwood Auctions.

Lot number	573
Estimate	40.00 - 75.00 USD
Auction	October Art & Collectibles- 2-DAY Auction
Date	October 4, 2026 at 11:00 PM EDT
Auction house	Oakwood Auctions
Location	Stouffville

Robert Bateman (Canadian, b. 1930) Great Blue Heron in Flight Signed and numbered limited edition lithograph on paper Edition 688/950 Overall framed dimensions: 26 1/2 x 42 inches An exceptionally atmospheric signed limited edition by celebrated Canadian wildlife artist Robert Bateman, depicting a Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) in flight across a quiet, mist-filled waterscape. Executed in Bateman's characteristically restrained naturalistic manner, the composition combines precise observation of the bird with a sophisticated exploration of atmosphere, movement, negative space, and the visual character of its environment. The Great Blue Heron dominates the elongated horizontal composition, its neck fully extended and its broad wings carrying the bird across a luminous veil of gray-green mist. Rather than presenting the heron as an isolated wildlife study, Bateman places it within an enveloping natural setting. Delicate branches and sparse yellow-green foliage enter from the left foreground, while the bird disappears toward the open atmospheric expanse at right. The carefully controlled asymmetry gives the image a remarkable sense of forward movement while preserving an overall mood of stillness and contemplation. The composition is particularly notable for its Japanese-influenced sense of pictorial balance. Bateman has discussed the mist-softened appearance of the bird in relation to the visual effect of a Japanese screen, while the cropping of the wing and placement of foreground willow branches contribute to the deliberately unconventional balance of the image. The result is a work in which ornithological observation and formal design operate in equal measure. Bateman's most successful wildlife subjects are distinguished not merely by anatomical accuracy, but by his ability to convey the ecological and atmospheric experience of encountering an animal in the wild. In Great Blue Heron in Flight, the restrained palette and expansive field of mist transform a familiar North American wading bird into the focus of a quiet, almost meditative landscape. The elongated format is especially well suited to the heron's characteristic flight profile and creates considerable visual presence when displayed. The present example is hand-signed in pencil by Robert Bateman at the lower right margin and individually numbered 688/950 in pencil at the lower left, identifying it as one of the finite signed and numbered impressions from the edition of 950. A printed Robert Bateman signature or inscription is also visible within the image at lower right. The print is professionally presented beneath glazing with layered neutral matting, a slate-gray inner mat, fine gilt accent lines, and a substantial gold-tone frame. The understated presentation complements Bateman's muted palette and panoramic composition and makes the work immediately suitable for display. Bateman occupies an important position within mod

Robert Bateman Great Blue Heron in Flight Signed N

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