Ducks’ Nests, Paul Joseph Constantin Gabriël, c. 1890 - c. 1900
oil on canvas, h 59cm × w 44cm × d 9.5cm More details
These baskets made of willow branches and resting on sticks were intended to offer shelter to nesting ducks. In the past, their eggs were gathered for consumption. In contrast to his mills and panoramic views, Gabriël here ‘zooms in’ on a detail in nature. He thus presents an unusual perspective of the watery Dutch landscape from a low vantage point on the embankment.
