Lake in a Mountainous Landscape

Myles Birket Foster

1862

graphite

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Romanticism Late 19th Century Landscape

About this work

This sketch shows a quiet lake nestled between jagged mountains. The water is calm, with a few small boats floating near the shore. On the left, trees cling to the hillside, and in the distance, a tiny building with a spire sits by the water. The artist used quick, loose lines to capture light and shadow—no details are overworked. The mountains fade into wispy strokes, almost like smoke. Next, look up Romanticism to see how artists used nature to express big emotions.