The Duck

In this intimate etching, Berthe Morisot captures a moment of quiet domesticity, a hallmark of her Impressionist style. A duck, its form rendered with soft, feathery lines, dominates the foreground, its head turned slightly as if caught mid-thought. The drypoint technique, visible in the delicate burr around the lines, gives the bird's plumage a tactile quality, almost inviting a touch. Morisot often focused on the lives of women and children, but here she turns her gaze to an animal, elevating a simple creature to a subject of contemplation. The background, suggested with a few loose strokes, hints at a natural setting, perhaps a garden or a pond, without distracting from the central figure. This small print offers a glimpse into Morisot's keen observation and her ability to find beauty in everyday scenes, even those involving an unassuming farm animal.