1836
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Canvas-backed Duck is a 1836 ink by Robert Havell Jr., a Romanticism work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This picture shows two canvas-backed ducks near water. One duck is swimming, its white-and-brown feathers ruffled. The other duck sits on a rock, wings slightly raised, with a calm lake and distant buildings in the background. The colors are bright but soft, and the details in the feathers look almost real. The artist used a mix of fine lines and shading to create texture. This kind of print was made by etching the design onto metal and then coloring it by hand. Look up engraving to see how artists like this made detailed prints before photography.
The Havell family of Reading, Berkshire, England, included a number of notable engravers, etchers and painters, as well as writers, publishers, educators, and musicians.
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