Two Dead Mallards

Charcoal drawing on paper: Two Dead Mallards. The hen (left) and drake (right) each hang from one leg with a rope wrapped around and are attached to a wall.

Alfred Montgomery had a hit-and-miss career, and his oils primarily appealed to well-off farmers and Corn Belt businesses. For long periods of his career, he would be on the road and would occasionally paint for as little as room or board or a train ticket to the next town. Given the nature of his livelihood, he painted on many different surfaces, including tin, planed lumber, and cigar boxes; many of his frames were made from fence rails and barn doors.