Quick Takes: John James Audubon’s “Birds of America” sells for $10 million

’ Naturalist John James Audubon’s “Birds of America” sold at auction in London on Tuesday for $10 million, making it the world’s most expensive book.

FOR THE RECORD:
“Birds of America”: A Quick Takes item in the Dec. 8 Calendar section said that a rare edition of John James Audubon’s “Birds of America” had been sold at auction for $10 million, making it the world’s most expensive book. That figure excluded the buyer’s premium, which was added later and brought the price to $11,567,575. —

The book, which was sold by the auction house Sotheby’s, was purchased by an anonymous telephone bidder.

“Birds of America” is oversize — more than 3 feet tall and 2 feet wide — with 435 illustrations. When first published in 1827, the images were printed in black and white and then hand-colored by specialists.

The combination of accuracy and artistry make Audubon’s work unique.

A much smaller, low-resolution — but entirely free — version of “Birds of America” is on view on the

Audubon website, at https://web4.audubon.org/bird/BoA/BOA_index.html.

—Carolyn Kellogg

Latino groups blast networks

The four major television networks have failed Latinos when it comes to increasing diversity in front of and behind the camera, a coalition of Latino groups charged Tuesday in issuing a “report card” on multiculturalism.

Leaders of the National Latino Media Council, which is composed of several advocacy groups, said that while ABC, NBC, CBS and Fox have increased inclusion of African Americans and Asian Americans in front of and behind the camera in 2010, Latino diversity at the networks has declined.

Nevertheless, the council issued passing grades to all four networks in its overall assessment, awarding CBS a B+, ABC and NBC a B- and Fox a C+.

—Greg Braxton

Censored video to get L.A. show

A gallery in downtown Los Angeles is planning to show a video by the late artist David Wojnarowicz that is currently at the center of a controversy at the National Portrait Gallery in Washington.

The CB1 Gallery said it will display Wojnarowicz’s “A Fire in My Belly” (1987) during Thursday’s Downtown Art Walk and continuing through the weekend. The gallery, located near the corner of Spring and 5th streets in downtown’s Gallery Row, is planning to exhibit the full 13-minute video in the entranceway to its West Gallery space so that the artwork will be available for the public to see.

Last week, “A Fire in My Belly” received national attention when the Smithsonian Institution decided to remove the work from the National Portrait Gallery, where it was being shown as part of the exhibition “Hide/Seek.”

The Smithsonian’s decision came after criticism from several conservative members of Congress and the Catholic League. They voiced objections to the video’s brief depiction of an image of Jesus Christ covered in ants.

—David Ng

A conductor’s plea in Italy

Daniel Barenboim appealed to Italy’s president to protect the country’s cultural institutions from planned budget cuts in unprecedented remarks from the orchestra pit before raising the baton on Richard Wagner’s “Die Walkure” for La Scala’s gala season premiere in Milan on Tuesday.

Barenboim, who has the unofficial title of principal guest conductor of La Scala, appealed to President Giorgio Napolitano, sitting in the royal box, to invoke protection of Italy’s cultural assets as called for in the country’s constitution.

“For that title, and also in the names of the colleagues who play, sing, dance and work, not only here but in all of the theaters, I am here to tell you at what point we are deeply worried for the future of culture in the country and in Europe,” Barenboim said, addressing the head of state, who was flanked by Milan’s mayor.

The theater erupted in applause, with Napolitano joining in.

Ire over the government spending cuts, not only to cultural activities but also to higher education, spilled over into the piazza outside, where students clashed with police swinging clubs. Smoke bombs and tear gas were lobbed during the clash and police reported that 14 officers suffered minor injuries.

—Associated Press

TV Hall of Fame names honorees

Actresses Diahann Carroll and Cloris Leachman and the late ABC News anchorman Peter Jennings were among seven people announced Tuesday for induction into the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences’ Hall of Fame.

Also selected were writer-producer Susan Harris, creator of “The Golden Girls,” “Soap” and “Benson”; former MTV Chief Executive Tom Freston; the late Bill Todman, producer (with Mark Goodson) of such classic game shows as “The Price Is Right,” “Password” and “Family Feud”; and the late Earle Hagen, composer of themes to such series as “ The Dick Van Dyke Show,” “The Andy Griffith Show” and “The Mod Squad.”

The induction ceremony will be held Jan. 20 at the Beverly Hills Hotel.

—Lee Margulies