1883
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
Dominant colour
A Bit on Marblehead Neck is a 1883 by James David Smillie, a Impressionism work, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.
This sketch shows a quiet coastal scene with rocky hills, scrubby bushes, and a few sheep grazing near the shore. The water looks calm, with a few boats far out on the horizon. The artist used only black lines and shading to create depth, with no color at all. Notice how the sheep are scattered—some resting, some standing—while the rocks and waves look almost rough by comparison. The artist signed it in the corner, but the date is tiny and hard to read. If you like this style, check out Realism for more works that focus on everyday scenes like this one.
James David Smillie was an American artist, cofounder of the American Watercolor Society and New York Etching Club. His brother was painter George Henry Smillie.
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