Pintails Decoyed 1921

Frank Benson's painting shows us the quiet drama of duck hunting. I imagine Benson standing out in a marsh, feeling the air, watching the light change on the water and in the sky, as the ducks fly in the sky, or float on the water. It's a painting of stillness and movement, with a palette of grays, browns, and muted blues. Look closely, and you can see how Benson built up the surface with layers of brushstrokes, especially in the clouds, creating a soft, diffused light. The ducks themselves are rendered with quick, confident strokes, capturing their energy and grace. I wonder about the relationship between Benson's love of nature and his art. How might his experiences observing ducks in their natural habitat have informed his approach to painting? All these artists build on what others have done before, and it is great to watch how painting finds new ways of seeing.