Artwork
Nocturne
Nocturne is a watercolor work on paper by the American Impressionist artist John La Farge. It dates from 1885 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The title suggests an atmospheric or tonal approach to the subject matter, consistent with the artist's exploration of light and mood in his watercolor works.
John La Farge's 1885 watercolor, gouache, and charcoal work titled Nocturne presents a still life composition centered on botanical elements. The artwork depicts a flower and a leaf arranged against an off-white wove paper background. As a study in still life, the piece focuses on the formal arrangement and visual qualities of these natural forms rather than a narrative scene.
The title suggests an atmospheric or tonal approach to the subject matter, consistent with the artist's exploration of light and mood in his watercolor works.
Technique & Style
The work is executed in watercolor and gouache with charcoal accents on off-white wove paper that has been adhered to a secondary support, forming a layered surface typical of late nineteenth‑century American watercolor practice. The delicate handling of the medium produces translucent washes that suggest the translucency of light filtering through foliage, while the charcoal lines define the outlines of leaves and blossoms with restrained precision. Formal qualities include a flattened spatial depth, an emphasis on contour and pattern, and a compositional balance that foregrounds the interplay of organic forms and negative space.
History & Provenance
The work titled Nocturne was created by John La Farge in 1885 using watercolor, gouache, and charcoal on off-white wove paper adhered to wove paper. It is classified as a still life and depicts a leaf and flower. The piece entered the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it remains on view in The American Wing. Its dimensions are 21 centimeters in height and 17.8 centimeters in width.
John La Farge's watercolor and gouache work Nocturne, created in 1885, is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The piece is classified within the museum's American Wing and depicts a still life arrangement of flowers and leaves. While the artwork has been identified in the museum's records, the provided sources do not list a specific inventory or accession number for the work. Additionally, the available documentation does not contain details regarding a specific exhibition history for this piece.
Overview
Created circa 1885, Nocturne is a small work on off‑white wove paper that combines watercolor, gouache and charcoal. American artist John La Farge, noted for his contributions to illustration, mural painting, interior design and stained‑glass, employed the piece as a study of nocturnal light. The composition presents a solitary white flower with dark foliage set against a muted, smoky backdrop, evoking a quiet, moonlit atmosphere.
Artist & collection
Artist
John La Farge (March 31, 1835 – November 14, 1910) was an American artist whose career spanned illustration, murals, interior design, painting, and popular books on his Asian travels and other art-related topics.
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