Woodcock and Young 1934

Archibald Thorburn made this watercolour, Woodcock and Young, in 1934. What strikes me about this image is the intimacy and delicacy of touch with which Thorburn has rendered the scene. The paint is applied in thin washes, allowing the white of the paper to shine through, creating a sense of light and air. The artist uses a limited palette of earthy browns, greens, and blues, all muted and blended with a soft, almost dreamlike quality. Look closely and you can see how the textures of the feathers, leaves, and flowers are built up with delicate strokes and dabs of colour. The way the birds almost blend into the background is typical of Thorburn’s work. The woodcock's eye is a small dark spot but it captures your attention, seeming to invite you into their hidden world. Perhaps Thorburn was influenced by Japanese art, where similar observations of nature can be found. What do you think?