Jedburgh Abbey (from Cropsey Album)
1847
gouache
From the collection of Metropolitan Museum of Art
1847
gouache
From the collection of Metropolitan Museum of Art
You see a quiet stone abbey half-hidden by trees, drawn in pencil and white paint on blue paper. Cropsey made this when he was only 24, before he became known for fiery autumn landscapes. The white gouache—thick, chalky paint—lets him add light to the old walls without losing the softness of the pencil lines. It’s like he’s testing how much mood he can pack into a small sketch. If you like how light plays on old buildings, look up the subject *abbeys*.
