Archibald Thorburn was a Scottish artist known for his watercolors of birds in their environment. Born on May 31, 1860 in Lasswade, United Kingdom, Thorburn was intrigued by all forms of wildlife from an early age, and created a number of drawings of twigs, leaves, and flowers that he observed. He first studied in Edinburgh, before attending St. John’s Wood School of Art in London. In 1887, he was commissioned to produce illustrations for the publication Coloured Figures of the Birds of the British Isles, which earned him widespread recognition. Over the course of his career, his works were regularly exhibited at the Royal Academy. Notably, Thorburn designed the first Christmas card for the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds in 1899. He died on October 9, 1935 in Hascombe, United Kingdom. Today, the artist’s works are held in the collections of the National Museum of Wildlife Art in Jackson Hole, WY and the Fleming Collection in London.