Duck Standing on One Leg c. 1873

Curator: Immediately, I'm struck by the vulnerability in this image. The duck, a classic symbol of adaptability, here seems so fragile, so delicately balanced on one leg. Editor: This is Karl Bodmer’s "Duck Standing on One Leg," currently housed in the Harvard Art Museums. It's a small plate, about 14.5 by 21.5 cm, and the medium appears to be etching. Curator: Absolutely. The single leg mirrors a sense of precariousness. Ducks are creatures of the water and the sky, yet here it seems momentarily grounded, almost questioning its place. What narratives do such images create around our relationship with nature? Editor: Well, in Bodmer’s time, images of the natural world played a critical role in scientific documentation and public education. This duck, then, isn't just about emotional resonance; it's about observation, classification, and asserting a particular human-centric view of the environment. Curator: A fascinating point. So even in its seeming simplicity, this image participates in broader systems of understanding the natural world. Editor: Precisely. It reminds us of how art always exists within a social and scientific context, shaping our perceptions in subtle but powerful ways.