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Idyll

Frederic Stuart Church

1886

graphite

paper

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Impressionism Realism Late 19th Century

Dominant colour

Idyll is a 1886 graphite by Frederic Stuart Church, a Impressionism work, held at National Gallery of Art.

Who painted this?: Frederic Stuart Church
When & what style?: 1886 · Impressionism
Where can I see it?: National Gallery of Art

About this work

This sketch shows a woman playing a flute while a lion sits calmly beside her. The lines are loose and quick, with soft shading that keeps things fuzzy. Trees and a rocky hillside fade into the background, barely defined. The artist used light washes of gray to suggest shadows, keeping the whole scene airy. The lion’s fur and the woman’s dress are just hints of strokes, not detailed. Next, check out the technique: sfumato to see how artists blend edges like this.