Rabbit Hunting

With loose, bravura brushwork and daring color choices, Gifford Beal conveys crisp, frosty air through purple and blue shadows. Not merely painting a quiet, wintry landscape to be admired, he focuses on human activity as the means to move us through the snowy woods. He depicts his hunter in both homespun and heroic terms—half the height of the canvas and shifting weight to aim the gun. The animation of the hunting dogs in pursuit of the rabbit imbues the scene with lively action, while a low stone wall, typical of Westchester County and New England, bisects the foreground and the middle ground with a strong diagonal that emphasizes the rush of the chase.