Curlews and Ducks
17th century
Medium
Red chalk
Dimensions
8 15/16 x 7 5/16 in. (22.7 x 18.6 cm)
Classification
Drawings
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Purchase, Mrs. Carl L. Selden Gift, in memory of Carl L. Selden, 1984
Accession Number
1984.390
Tags
Art Historical Context
Nicolas Robert's *Curlews and Ducks*, delicate 17th-century drawing in red chalk, captures the graceful forms of these waterbirds with precision. Measuring just 15/16 x7 5/16 inches, this intimate work exemplifies Robert's mastery as a French draughtsman, renowned for naturalistic studies of flora and fauna. Active during the reign of Louis XIV, Robert contributed to royal projects, including illustrations for the king's lavish Menagerie at Versailles, blending scientific observation with artistic elegance. The use of red chalk—or sanguine—lends the piece a warm, tonal subtlety ideal for ren...