The Hills of Umbria near Perugia
1831
gouache
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1831
gouache
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This painting shows rolling green hills with scattered trees and a small village nestled below. The sky is pale blue with wispy clouds, and a river winds through the valley. Brushstrokes are loose, with splashes of yellow and white flowers in the foreground. The artist used watercolor and gouache on blue-green paper, which gives the scene a soft, dreamy look. The colors are muted but bright in spots, like the yellow flowers or the distant village. Next, look up technique: watercolor, glazing to see how artists build layers of color like this.
