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Italian Landscape with a Watermill

Hélène Boutourlin

1834

graphite

paper

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Romanticism Early 19th Century Landscape

Dominant colour

Italian Landscape with a Watermill is a 1834 graphite by Hélène Boutourlin, a Romanticism work, held at National Gallery of Art.

Who painted this?: Hélène Boutourlin
When & what style?: 1834 · Romanticism
Where can I see it?: National Gallery of Art

About this work

This drawing shows a quiet countryside scene with rolling hills, trees, and a small stone house. In front of the house sits a large wooden waterwheel by a stream. A person, bent over, carries a bundle on their back near the water’s edge. The background has distant buildings and more trees fading into the misty sky. The artist used soft brown tones to create depth, letting the waterwheel and house stand out against the lighter hills. This style was popular in the 1800s for showing nature’s peaceful side. Check out the technique: chiaroscuro to see how light and shadow create mood in art.