1863
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
The Great Russian Ball at the Academy of Music, November 5, 1863 is a 1863 ink by American 19th Century, a Impressionism work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This drawing shows a packed dance floor at a fancy ballroom. Men in suits and women in long, ruffled dresses twirl and chat. The stage in the back is crowded with musicians, and the room glows with chandeliers and garlands. The tiny details—like the way the crowd blurs into a sea of faces—hint at how busy and lively this event was. The artist used sharp lines to show movement, almost like quick sketches. Next, check out technique: engraving to see how artists carved these scenes into wood.
This artist painted everyday American life in the 1800s. Look at *Farmhouse in Mahantango Valley*—a quiet, sunlit scene of rural Pennsylvania. *Boy and Girl* shows two children standing close, their faces turned toward…
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