Feeding the Ducks King Lilian Yeend

The composition presents a pastoral scene centered around two young girls engaged in feeding waterfowl. A larger girl stands slightly forward, holding a dish presumably filled with food and extending it towards a group of ducks gathered in a stone trough. Beside her, a smaller girl tends to a cluster of chicks, their yellow plumage contrasting against the muted tones of the surrounding environment.
The setting is rural; a weathered thatched-roof structure dominates the left side of the canvas, suggesting a farm or cottage. A sprawling tree with dense foliage occupies the upper portion of the frame, its branches partially obscuring a distant horizon line where buildings are faintly visible. The ground slopes gently downwards, leading the eye towards the central action and creating a sense of depth.
The color palette is dominated by warm earth tones – browns, yellows, and greens – which contribute to an overall feeling of tranquility and nostalgia. Light filters through the foliage, illuminating the figures and highlighting their clothing: the older girl’s blue blouse and pink skirt, and the younger girls patterned dress with a white apron. The artist has rendered details meticulously, from the texture of the thatched roof to the individual feathers on the ducks and chicks.
Beyond the straightforward depiction of childhood innocence and rural life, the painting hints at themes of responsibility and nurturing. The older girl’s posture suggests a gentle authority as she guides the feeding process, while the younger girls focused attention on the chicks implies an early introduction to caretaking duties. The presence of both ducks and chicks might symbolize the cycle of nature and the interconnectedness of life within this rural setting.
The composition is carefully balanced; the figures are positioned in a way that draws the viewer’s eye towards the central action, while the surrounding landscape provides context and depth. The overall effect is one of idealized simplicity and quiet contentment, evoking a sense of longing for a bygone era characterized by close connection to nature and traditional values.