Surf-Scoter 1913

Archibald Thorburn made this painting of Surf-Scoters using watercolour in 1912. I really like the way the paint seems to flow like water. Look at the way the artist has layered the colours in thin washes, building up the tones. There’s a really interesting tension here. It’s a realistic portrayal, but you can see the delicate, almost feathery strokes, especially in the water. The waves in the background have a lovely sense of movement. The detail of the ducks is fascinating, and how the artist captures the way light reflects on the water is very satisfying. The duck in the foreground is in stark contrast to the water around it, its black feathers dense and opaque, with a spot of white near its head. This makes it stand out from the rest of the scene. Thorburn was a famous painter of birds, and I am reminded of John James Audubon, although Audubon’s style is often more dramatic. I wonder what it was about ornithology that captured the imagination of these artists so completely.