Mid-Century Watercolor of Duck Hunters and Mallard Drakes at Dawn, by Roy Mason

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This is an original mid-20th-century sporting painting depicting duck hunting at dawn. The piece captures a classic waterfowl hunting scene, … Read more This is an original mid-20th-century sporting painting depicting duck hunting at dawn. The piece captures a classic waterfowl hunting scene, showcasing a pair of hunters hiding behind a marshy blind on the left, one raising a shotgun toward a flock of mallard drakes.
This is a finely executed watercolor wash by Roy Martell Mason (1886–1972), a highly acclaimed 20th-century American watercolorist and sporting artist known for his poetic depictions of wildlife, hunting, and fishing scenes. Though he also worked in oils, his luminous, atmosphere-driven watercolor landscapes earned him major national prestige and a lifetime election to prestigious art institutions.
Aside from a single art correspondence course, Mason had no formal art school training. He learned basic drawing and engraving from his father, Frank E. Mason. An avid outdoorsman, Mason gathered inspiration from hunting and fishing trips across North America. He used over 500 field sketches instead of cameras to capture authentic lighting and animal movement. He would paint small watercolor sketches on location, taking detailed notes on wildlife and figures. He later scaled these up into final paintings in his studio. After moving to La Jolla, California in 1959, his later portfolio heavily featured Pacific coastal seascapes.
Mason was awarded the prestigious Gold Medal of Honor by the American Watercolor Society in 1961. Further, he was elected as an Associate of the National Academy of Design (1930) and held memberships in the Salmagundi Club and the Buffalo Society of Artists.
Mason served as a direct mentor to future generations of wildlife painters, notably guiding famed gamebird artist David Hagerbaumer. Today, his pieces are held in permanent collections at institutions like the Burchfield Penney Art Center.
Signature/Maker’s Mark: Nonexistent. See less