River Landscape with a Bridge; Monkey Paging through a Book
1832
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1832
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This image shows two very different scenes on one sheet. The top half is a dark, shadowy room with a person curled up in a chair, flipping through a book while a monkey watches. The bottom half is a river with a small bridge over it, trees on the bank, and people or animals moving along the water’s edge. The artist used quick, sketchy lines to show movement and mood. The top scene feels quiet and mysterious, while the river scene looks busy but calm. Next, look into etching to see how artists like this one create layered textures.
