Artwork
Field Sketches of Puffins
Field Sketches of Puffins is a watercolor work on paper by the Contemporary Realist artist David Boys. It dates from 1984 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Overview
Field Sketches of Puffins is a watercolour work created by David Boys in 1984.
Subject & Meaning
The sketch depicts three puffins perched on rocky outcroppings and a branch, with their distinctive orange beaks and feet contrasting with their gray and white plumage. The artist's notation 'Puffins, Brownisman Island' at the bottom suggests a specific location was observed.
Technique & Style
Loose, rapid brushstrokes capture the birds' forms, conveying a sense of life and movement. The watercolour medium is used to simplify the subjects, with the background largely unrendered to focus attention on the puffins and rocks.
History & Provenance
The work was created as a field study for the National Trust's 'Farne Islands' poster.
Artist & collection
Artist
David Boys or Boschus, Carmelite, was educated at Oxford University, and lectured in theology at that university; he also visited for purposes of study the University of Cambridge and several foreign universities.
