Gadwall Decoy c. 1939

Editor: This is Samuel W. Ford’s "Gadwall Decoy," created around 1939 using watercolor. It has such a muted and earthy feel, and I’m struck by the simple, almost geometric shape of the duck itself. How do you interpret this work from a formalist perspective? Curator: Well, let’s begin with its surface. The washes of watercolor establish a depth through layering that contradicts the two-dimensionality of the paper, simultaneously enhancing and undermining our perception. Observe how the artist renders the form through controlled application, mimicking the carved texture one would expect from the actual decoy. Editor: I see that now, especially in the way the brushstrokes follow the implied grain of the wood. But is there significance in its seeming simplicity? Curator: Precisely. Consider the deliberate constraint. The palette, largely monochromatic, and the meticulous detail dedicated to surface texture and form indicate the artist is interested in more than just representation. Instead, he guides our eye toward the artistic process itself. Can we not view the painting as an object, much like the decoy it depicts? Editor: So the subject becomes less about the decoy itself, and more about exploring artistic method. Are you suggesting that the act of creating this image elevates it beyond a mere illustration? Curator: It moves into the realm of meta-commentary. Note the tension between the flatness of the medium and the simulated three-dimensionality of the decoy, drawing attention to our constructed realities and perceptions through representation. What do you make of that, as a method of critique? Editor: It’s like Ford is prompting us to consider what we are seeing, and how art is constructed to be perceived a certain way. Thank you; I have learned how paying attention to artistic decisions can make this simple decoy very rich!