The artwork titled “Duck’s head,” created by the renowned artist Nicholas Roerich around the year 1900, is a remarkable example of Realism within the genre of animal painting. This work meticulously captures the essence of a duck’s head, highlighting its natural features with precision and attention to detail characteristic of the Realism movement.
The artwork presents a close-up view of the head of a duck, rendered predominantly in shades of black, white, and gray. The duck’s head is positioned in profile, allowing for a clear depiction of its slender beak and intricate feather patterns. The artist’s technique creates a striking contrast between the dark background and the lighter tones of the duck’s head, thus emphasizing the subject’s natural form and texture. The overall composition reflects a high degree of realism, attentive to the anatomical accuracy and the serene presence of the animal, showcasing Roerich’s adept skill in animal portraiture.