Study of Birds Vanneau and Sarcelle
Fernand Cormon, the famous teacher of Van Gogh and Toulouse-Lautrec, proves here that academic art wasn't just about grand history scenes—it required intense observation of nature too. These sketches show dead game birds, a lapwing and a teal, hanging upside down, likely serving as color studies for a larger hunting composition. The artist has scribbled meticulous notes in French all over the page, acting like a painter's recipe book for feathers: 'blanc' (white), 'gris' (grey), 'brun' (brown), and even 'vert' (green). It’s a charming, behind-the-scenes look at how 19th-century masters prepared their palettes before touching a canvas.
- Technique
- pencil
- Material
- paper