Artwork
Illustration for Longfellow's "The Rainy Day"
Illustration for Longfellow's "The Rainy Day" is an ink drawing by the Impressionist artist Myles Birket Foster. It dates from 1854 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
- Inscription
- Inscribed:by artist (?), along bottom in graphite: The Rainy Day / "Behind the clouds is the sun still shining
About this work
Overview
This drawing, 'Illustration for Longfellow's "The Rainy Day"', was created by Myles Birket Foster around 1854. It is a mixed-media work on wove paper, showcasing Foster's technical skill.
Technique & Style
The illustration combines various techniques, including pen and brown ink, brown and gray wash, and white and cream gouache over a graphite underdrawing. A stylus was used to delineate the distant mountains, adding to the atmospheric effect.
Subject & Meaning
The drawing illustrates a scene inspired by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's poem 'The Rainy Day', reflecting the Victorian era's tradition of complementing literary works with visual art.
Context
Foster's work is characteristic of the Victorian period's emphasis on book illustration, where artists like him contributed to the visual culture through various mediums, including engraving, watercolor, and illustration.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Myles Birket Foster (4 February 1825 – 27 March 1899) was a British illustrator, watercolourist and engraver in the Victorian period. His name is also to be found as Myles Birkett Foster.
