Not For The Larder 1904

Archibald Thorburn made this painting, Not For The Larder, with what looks like very delicate, almost watercolour-like, oil paint. You can really tell he’s enjoying the act of painting, making marks that mimic fur, feathers, and snow. The colours are super muted, right? It is like he only had access to browns, beiges, and whites to create this whole scene. Look at the brushwork on the fox—it's incredibly detailed, each stroke suggesting a strand of fur. Then, contrast that with the looser, almost slapdash way he's rendered the snow. See how the fox is a vibrant orange against all that pale ground? The scene is death, but that fox is so alive! It reminds me a bit of paintings by artists like George Stubbs. Both artists really knew how to paint animals. I think art is about trying to capture life, even in a moment as stark as this.