Henry D. Morse
Born in Boston, Henry D. Morse was best known for his exquisite renderings of dogs and wildlife; his animal paintings were popular and sought after. As a teenager Morse learned engraving from his father, although he later experimented with a variety of artistic practices. While he is remembered as a painter, he also worked in jewelry making and diamond cutting. The first known American to have worked as a diamond cutter, he introduced revolutionary cutting practices to the diamond trade.
How do artists create the illusion of space?
In this painting of three freshly killed game birds—a fowl and two colorful ducks—one sees patiently detailed treatment of the birds’ luxuriant plumage, still glossy and vivid, as well as frank attention to the way that game is hung up to drain after beheading. Morse’s painting evidences connections to the earlier 17th-century Dutch tradition, but there is also a matter-of-factness more characteristic of 19th-century American still lifes.
Museum purchase, Mildred Anna Williams Collection
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