Figures Seated by a Lake in a Wooded Landscape
1820
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
1820
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
You see two tiny people sitting on a rock by a dark lake, surrounded by thick trees and cliffs. Martin painted this early in his career, before he became known for huge, dramatic scenes. Here, he used just brown ink and water to create the whole picture—no color, no pencil lines. The leaves and branches stand out because he left the white paper blank, letting light do the work. If you like how he plays with light and shadow, look up *chiaroscuro*.
