1834
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Summer or Wood Duck is a 1834 ink by Robert Havell Jr., a Romanticism work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This image shows four brightly colored ducks perched on branches and leaves. The birds have bold patterns—black, white, red, and green feathers—with one male duck standing out in shiny, iridescent blues and greens. Their beaks are bright orange, and the background includes a nest with eggs and more foliage. The artist used careful details to show each feather and leaf, making the birds look almost real. This kind of careful work was common in scientific illustrations from the time. Next, look up engraving to see how artists like this created such precise images.
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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