Procyon lotor, Raccoon. (Male. Natural size.) by John Woodhouse Audubon is a Victorian zoological illustration that captures one of North America’s most familiar mammals with exacting, lifelike clarity. Created in the mid-1840s at the height of scientific exploration and natural history publishing, this study unites art and observation: a male raccoon poised along a branch, his masked face keenly alert, his ringed tail balanced behind him. Audubon’s naturalistic rendering emphasizes the animal’s characteristic markings, fur texture, and anatomy, blending scientific fidelity with an elegant graphic sensibility that made such works both instructional and beautiful.

This listing offers a high-quality fine art print produced on museum-grade, acid-free archival paper or on artist’s cotton canvas. Choose from a range of sizes to suit your space—from intimate studies to statement pieces—and add optional framing in a selection of classic profiles. The Unique Maps Co. also provides personalization and custom options, including bespoke sizing and curated framing combinations, ensuring your print arrives ready to display and tailored to your interior.

John Woodhouse Audubon (1812–1862), son of the famed John James Audubon, was an accomplished wildlife artist in his own right, contributing significantly to the celebrated natural history projects of the 19th century. His keen eye for posture, pelage, and proportion set a high standard for zoological illustration. This plate, focused on Procyon lotor, reflects his commitment to direct observation and to the precise, instructive detail prized by scientists and collectors of the era.

The subject itself—Procyon lotor, commonly known as the raccoon—was a natural choice for inclusion in mid-century American wildlife studies. At “natural size,” the animal is presented with a clarity designed for education as much as for art, aligning with contemporary efforts to catalog North American fauna. Works like this bridged field science and public curiosity, benefiting from advances in printing that allowed richer tonal transitions and crisper lines than earlier generations of illustrations. The result is an image that feels both authoritative and warmly approachable.

Color and design deepen the appeal of this print. The palette leans into warm orange-browns, umbers, and soft whites, with subtle gray shadows that define muscle and coat. Fine, directional strokes articulate the guard hairs and underfur, while broader, textured handling depicts the bark of the branch, grounding the animal in a believable setting. The raccoon’s dark facial mask and banded tail provide striking pattern contrast, and the rounded, full-bodied pose conveys presence and personality. This balance of accuracy and artistry makes the piece a versatile focal point—equally at home in a study, library, living room, or cabin retreat.

A refined blend of science and style, this Audubon print makes an inspired gift for nature lovers, biologists, and anyone drawn to North American wildlife. It’s a thoughtful choice for Christmas, Father’s Day or Mother’s Day, a housewarming, or for someone recently returned from travel or time spent outdoors.

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.