Bernard Moaney as a Duck Hunter
1931
Oil on wooden board
48” x 31 1/2”
Duck Hunter is evidence of an early 20th-c. Person of color who is portrayed at a moment that is both revealing and dignified. In this imposing, large-scale oil painting, Bernard Moaney’s statuesque physique fills the picture plane, his arms and legs extending beyond the canvas edges. He clutches a Damascus twist steel double-barreled shotgun, and in his lap sits an expensively crafted drake duck decoy. His upright posture, with his arms posed on the chair’s armrests, suggests someone who is in command, with a strong sense of self-worth. Attired in impeccable hunting apparel, Moaney is stylishly fitted out for a shoot.