Duck 1440

Pisanello rendered this duck in pen and watercolor on paper sometime in the first half of the 15th century. He's best known for his frescoes and panel paintings, but drawings like these offer us a special insight into the artistic practices of Renaissance Italy. Drawings such as this were often made as studies for use in larger paintings; in a workshop environment, they may have served as models for assistants. Looking closely, we can see Pisanello's close observation of nature, which goes hand in hand with the growing naturalism of Renaissance art. But it is important to acknowledge the institutional history of the drawing, as well. Preserved in collections and museums, it gained new meanings as a work of art in its own right. It is the work of the art historian to understand this layering of contexts. Examining letters, inventories and other archival documents helps us to understand how the meaning of a drawing like this has changed over time.