Winter Woodcock 1916

Archibald Thorburn made this watercolour painting of Woodcocks sometime in the early 20th century. The painting is so evocative, it’s almost like looking through a window. You can imagine Thorburn, hunkered down in the snow, carefully mixing his paints to match the subtle browns and greys of the birds' feathers. It must have taken a steady hand and a keen eye to capture the delicate details of the Woodcocks' plumage and the way the light catches the snow-covered ground. The brushstrokes are so light and fluid, especially in the background, which gives the impression of a crisp, cold winter day. The colour palette is so subtle and delicate - it is a beautiful, quiet harmony of muted tones. Thorburn clearly loved birds and knew them well; their shape, their habitat, their being. His work reminds us of how much we can learn from the natural world.