Artwork
Plums
Plums is a graphite work on paper by the Impressionist artist John William Hill. It dates from 1870 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
- Accession no.
- 82.9.1
- Credit line
- Gift of J. Henry Hill, 1882
About this work
Technique & Style
Hill's handling reflects the precise, naturalistic observation characteristic of nineteenth-century American still life in watercolor.
Plums is a mixed-media still life executed in watercolor, graphite, and gouache on off-white bristol board. The combination of transparent watercolor washes with opaque gouache and graphite drawing allowed Hill to render both the translucent skin of the fruit and the detailed veining of the accompanying leaves. The support of bristol board provides a smooth, rigid ground suited to fine draftsmanship and layered washes.
The composition is modest in scale, measuring 18.1 cm in height by 30.5 cm in width, a horizontal format appropriate to a tabletop arrangement of fruit and foliage. Hill's handling reflects the precise, naturalistic observation characteristic of nineteenth-century American still life in watercolor.
History & Provenance
The work Plums by John William Hill is part of The American Wing collection at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. It was created in 1870 using watercolor, graphite, and gouache on off-white bristol board. The piece measures 18.1 cm in height and 30.5 cm in width.
Its accession number is 82.9.1, and it has been exhibited as part of displays focusing on American still life and fruit-themed artworks.
Context
Plums, a 1870 watercolor and gouache on off-white bristol board, resides in The American Wing collection at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, exemplifying John William Hill's botanical precision and contribution to American still life in the late 19th century. The work features leaf and fruit motifs typical of Hill's detailed naturalistic studies exhibited at the MET.
Overview
Plums is a watercolor, graphite, and gouache work on off-white Bristol board created by John William Hill in 1870, exemplifying his Realist approach to natural subjects.
Subject & Meaning
The piece depicts a simple still life of plums and foliage on a table, highlighting Hill's interest in naturalistic representation through everyday, carefully observed subjects.
Legacy
Through works like Plums, Hill contributed to the appreciation of everyday subjects in American art, encouraging a closer observation of nature's details.
Artist & collection
Artist
John William Hill or often J.W. Hill (January 13, 1812 – September 24, 1879) was a British-born American artist working in watercolor, gouache, lithography, and engraving. Hill's work focused primarily upon natural…
