This watercolor is a study for Dove's oil painting of the same title (49.70.37). Dove typically worked out his compositional arrangements and color schemes in this medium, on a small scale, then transferred the image to a larger canvas by means of a projector-like "magic lantern" or a copying tool called a pantograph. A comparison with the Goat painting demonstrates the artist's adherence to his original conception of the work, with only minimal alterations to its shapes and tones.

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