Artwork
Two chickens
Two chickens is a watercolor work on paper by the Art Nouveau artist Edmund Dulac. It dates from 1917 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Overview
Edmund Dulac’s 1917 watercolor presents a pair of domestic fowl positioned opposite one another. The composition features a standing rooster and a seated hen, rendered with a restrained palette that emphasizes line and tonal contrast rather than vivid colour.
Subject & Meaning
The work isolates the two birds, allowing close observation of their differing postures and plumage patterns. The juxtaposition of the upright male and the more subdued female invites contemplation of gender roles within the familiar farmyard setting.
Technique & Style
Dulac employs delicate washes of watercolor to suggest the texture of feathers, using soft gradations to model form while maintaining a clear, linear outline. The rooster’s tail is suggested by a subtle fan of strokes, and the hen’s plumage is indicated through finer, feather‑like marks.
History & Provenance
Created during the later phase of Dulac’s career, the piece reflects his continued interest in animal subjects beyond his more widely known illustrative work. The watercolor remains part of a private collection, with its provenance documented through early 20th‑century exhibition records.
Artist & collection
Artist
Edmund Dulac was a French-British naturalised magazine illustrator, book illustrator and stamp designer.
