Who painted The First Snowfall?

The First Snowfall was painted by Arthur B. Davies in 1882.

Where can I see The First Snowfall?

The First Snowfall is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is The First Snowfall?

The First Snowfall is associated with Impressionism.

Can I buy a print of The First Snowfall?

Museum-quality prints of The First Snowfall are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

The First Snowfall

Arthur B. Davies , 1882

The First Snowfall is a pastel drawing by the Impressionist artist Arthur B. Davies. It dates from 1882 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Created circa 1882, The First Snowfall is a drawing executed in watercolor and pastel on a sheet of gray wove paper. The work presents a winter landscape rendered in subdued tones, emphasizing the hushed atmosphere of early snowfall.

Subject & Meaning

The composition portrays a forest clearing where leaf‑less trees stand in orderly rows, their interlaced branches framing a rocky ground. Light, tentative flakes are suggested on the stones and limbs, conveying the quiet onset of winter.

Technique & Style

Davies employed the fluidity of watercolor combined with the matte texture of pastel, allowing the gray paper to mute the palette. Soft, overlapping strokes create a blended effect, while delicate pastel highlights suggest the sheen of fresh snow.

History & Provenance

Arthur B. Davies, an American artist later noted for championing modern art in the United States during the 1910s and 1920s, produced this early work before his involvement with avant‑garde circles. The drawing has remained in private collections, with its provenance documented through early exhibition records.

Context

The piece reflects the late‑19th‑century American interest in atmospheric landscape studies, aligning with contemporary European watercolor practices while anticipating Davies’s later shift toward more experimental subjects and techniques.

View from the Springhouse at Echo, William Russell Birch

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Artist & collection

Artist

Arthur B. Davies

Arthur Bowen Davies (September 26, 1862 – October 24, 1928) was an avant-garde American artist and influential advocate of modern art in the United States c. 1910–1928.