John Woodhouse Audubon’s Pteromys volucella, Common Flying Squirrel (1845) is a refined Victorian zoological illustration that marries precise observation with graceful composition. Created during the mid-19th-century surge in natural history publishing, the plate presents the flying squirrel in multiple poses and life stages—male, female, and young—so viewers can appreciate both anatomy and behavior at a glance. Audubon’s draftsmanship captures the animal’s delicate membranes and nimble posture with a quiet clarity that still feels immediate and alive.

This listing is for a high-quality fine art print, produced with museum-grade pigments on your choice of acid-free archival paper or artist’s cotton canvas. Offered in a range of sizes, each print is carefully proofed for faithful color and crisp detail. The Unique Maps Co. can frame your selection to order, and we also offer tasteful personalization—from custom title plates and captions to special dedications—to make your print uniquely yours.

About the artist: John Woodhouse Audubon, son of the renowned John James Audubon, emerged as a gifted illustrator in his own right, bringing mammals and birds into focus with an exacting, field-informed eye. Active in the 1840s, he worked within an ambitious tradition that sought to record North America’s wildlife with scholarly accuracy, yet his plates also possess an aesthetic poise that places them squarely within the golden age of natural history art.

Why this subject matters: The flying squirrel is a marvel of adaptation, using a soft, furred membrane to glide between tree canopies under cover of night. By arranging the animals in varied attitudes and life stages, Audubon turns a single sheet into a compact natural history lesson. The composition reflects the period’s educational aims, when images helped make the continent’s fauna newly visible to a wide audience. Identified here by the scientific name Pteromys volucella—the Common Flying Squirrel—this study distills 19th-century curiosity and care for the living world.

Color and style: Warm orange notes and tawny browns enliven the squirrels’ fur, set against a clean white ground that underscores their silhouettes and the elegant sweep of their gliding membranes. Fine, hairlike strokes articulate texture without clutter, while the dynamic poses—some poised to leap, others mid-stretch—convey agility and nocturnal energy. The restrained palette and spare background heighten the scientific clarity, yet the plate retains a decorative charm that suits contemporary interiors.

A compelling addition to any collection, this print brings a naturalist’s intimacy to libraries, studies, nurseries, and gallery walls alike. Pair it with other Victorian zoological plates for a cabinet-of-curiosities effect, or let it stand alone as a quiet celebration of observation and craft.

Thoughtful and timeless, this fine art print makes a wonderful gift for wildlife enthusiasts, biologists and veterinarians, new homeowners, or anyone with a love for 19th-century illustration—perfect for Christmas, birthdays, Mother’s or Father’s Day, housewarmings, or for someone recently returned from exploring North American forests and national parks.

If you're not sure what size to order, or you're looking for a custom order of some kind – a different size, a different colour, a special frame – then please contact me. I usually respond within a few minutes.

You can see an example of my fine art personalisation service in the fifth image. Zoom in and take a look. My personalised artwork is always very well received. Take a look at more examples of personalisation.

You can also choose to age your art print to make it look older. This is popular amongst my customers who want their artwork to look like an older, antique print. You can see an example of ageing in the sixth product image, or go ahead and check out lots of examples of other aged artwork.

The model in the listing images is holding the 18x24in (45x60cm) version of this art print.

I can print and frame this beautiful piece of art at sizes up to 3 metres (10ft). If you are looking for a size or framing option that isn't available online, please get in touch.

This artwork is available as a giclée print on acid free archival matte paper, or you can buy it framed. My standard frames come in six colours (black, dark brown, dark grey, antique gold, oak and white), and custom framing is available for an additional charge. My frames are glazed with super-clear museum-grade acrylic (perspex/acrylite), which is significantly less reflective than glass, safer, and will always arrive in perfect condition.

This artwork is also available as a float framed canvas, sometimes known as a shadow gap framed canvas or canvas floater. The work is printed on artist's cotton canvas and then stretched over a handmade box frame. We then "float" the canvas inside a wooden frame, which is available in a range of colours (black, dark brown, oak, antique gold and white). This is a wonderful way to present an art print without glazing in front. See some examples of float framed canvas art and explore the differences between my different finishes.