1836
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Dominant colour
Ruddy Duck is a 1836 ink by Robert Havell Jr., a Romanticism work, held at National Gallery of Art.
A plump ruddy duck floats on calm water. Its red bill and chest stand out against soft brown feathers. The background is simple—just ripples and a hint of green shore. This isn’t just a duck portrait. The artist used fine engraving lines to show every feather’s texture. The colors were added later by hand, one print at a time. Try the same technique yourself. Look up engraving, cross-hatching.
The Havell family of Reading, Berkshire, England, included a number of notable engravers, etchers and painters, as well as writers, publishers, educators, and musicians.
See the richer artist page
