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A Sprig of Plums

William Michael Harnett

1873

chalk

paper

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Impressionism Realism Late 19th Century Still Life

Dominant colour

A Sprig of Plums is a 1873 chalk by William Michael Harnett, a Impressionism work, held at National Gallery of Art.

Who painted this?: William Michael Harnett
When & what style?: 1873 · Impressionism
Where can I see it?: National Gallery of Art

About this work

This drawing shows a single sprig of plums with two ripe fruits and one green one. The leaves have soft edges where the artist rubbed the charcoal. The paper’s creamy tone brightens the dark lines. It’s all about the technique here. Harnett uses charcoal and black chalk to build shape through light and shadow. You can see him scratch into the surface to suggest texture. Try looking up Harnett, William Michael to see how he plays with everyday objects.