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Water Elms

Carl C. Brenner

1880

ink

paper

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Impressionism Realism Late 19th Century Landscape

Dominant colour

Water Elms is a 1880 ink by Carl C. Brenner, a Impressionism work, held at National Gallery of Art.

Who painted this?: Carl C. Brenner
When & what style?: 1880 · Impressionism
Where can I see it?: National Gallery of Art

About this work

This black-and-white print shows a quiet forest scene. Tall trees with thick branches fill most of the picture, their leaves tangled together. In the middle, a small clearing lets in light, and a narrow river or stream cuts through the bottom. The edges of the paper have a textured look, like old paper. The artist used fine lines to show light and shadow, making the trees feel real. This kind of close, detailed drawing was common in the 1800s. Next, check out etching to see how artists like this made prints.