Courting Pair – Whistling Swans
Robert Bateman Hand Signed Artist Proof 22.75″ x 29.5″
Edition Size: 56
“The big, white birds are strong and fierce. They have flown thousands of miles from wintering grounds to the Arctic to begin their nesting and are now performing their courtship ritual on territory. They need time to raise their large young before the onset of fall, so they must begin early. In places, the tundra ponds may still be frozen. Whistling swans [now called Tundra swans] are the most common swan and may be seen quite readily during migration. When I started birding in my teens, I was surprised and delighted to learn of the staging stop about a hundred miles from my home. They came by the thousands. I will never forget the foggy March morning just after dawn. First we heard the noble trumpeting, then the awesome white shapes appeared out of the mist flying just over our heads in several layers disappearing in the atmosphere above. We stood on the causeway between the marshes while sounds and sights of hundreds of these great birds appeared and disappeared over our heads. One of the artistic challenges and pleasures of doing this painting was to play with the various shades and colours of white. I needed to show all of the form and lustrous light and shadow within this very limited range. It’s something like composing a piece of music using only one octave.” Robert Bateman
(From the original painting Courting Pair – Whistling Swans – 1975 – 35.75″ x 48″ Acrylic on Masonite)
