Roan Duck

c. 1790

John Abbot

Associated Names
John Abbot

Artist, American, 1751 - 1839

The artwork is a vertical, hand-drawn illustration of a roan duck in a natural setting. The duck is centrally positioned, depicted in profile with its head facing right. It has detailed plumage with shades of brown and intricate patterning. The wings are partially open, showing a mix of brown and blue feathers. The duck's beak is yellowish-green, and its eye is distinctly outlined. It floats on stylized water with gentle ripples and has one leg visible beneath the surface. In the foreground, a sandy shore with sparse vegetation and a few rocks is present. The background is plain.

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Artwork overview

Artwork history & notes

Provenance

(Ibarcord Group, S.A., Fine Arts, London, England); Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, DC, 1981; acquired 2015 by the National Gallery of Art

Associated Names

Exhibition History

1981

  • Early America on Paper: Prints and Drawings, 1750-1850, Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, DC, 1981

1982

  • Acquisitions Since 1975, Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, DC, 1982-1983

1983

  • American Master Drawings from the Collection, Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, DC, 1983

  • John Abbot in Georgia: The Vision of a Naturalist Artist, Madison-Morgan Cultural Center, Georgia, 1983, p. 83, repro

1986

  • American Masters: Works on Paper from the Corcoran Gallery of Art, Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, DC; Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service, 1986-1988, pp. 12-13, no. 2, repro

Bibliography

1983

  • Simmons, Linda Crocker and with the assistance of Adrianne J. Humphrey, et al. American Drawings, Watercolors, Pastels, and Collages in the Collection of the Corcoran Gallery of Art. Washington, DC: Corcoran Gallery of Art, 1983: p. 1, no. 4.

Inscriptions

lower center in graphite by unknown hand: 125

Wikidata ID

Q64582093