Peregrine Falcon, hitting Rock Dove - 'The Stoop' - Solway Cliffs

Arthur James Dudley

Despite immense talent, records on the life and work of Arthur James Dudley are nearly non-existent, as of this writing. This pen and ink drawing is a sharp departure from his usual architectural fare, focusing on the vital, awe-striking physicality of the peregrine falcon, known for reaching speeds of up to 200 miles per hour (320 km) - making it the fastest member of the animal kingdom.

Here, the peregrine attacks a rock dove (a type of common pigeon) as they fly above the jagged cliffs along the Solway Firth, on the coast of Scotland. Dudley's style in this drawing employs the mechanical Modernism found in the Art Deco era to emphasize the aerodynamic body of the falcon and the angular escarpments of the landscape.

This very rare drawing by Dudley has been restored and shows faint staining, possibly from once being glued down, in the lower half of the image. The price reflects the condition.