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Foliage with Reeds

Carl Wilhelm Kolbe

1810

ink

paper

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Romanticism Early 19th Century Floral

Dominant colour

Foliage with Reeds is a 1810 ink by Carl Wilhelm Kolbe, a Romanticism work, held at National Gallery of Art.

Who painted this?: Carl Wilhelm Kolbe
When & what style?: 1810 · Romanticism
Where can I see it?: National Gallery of Art

About this work

This image is a black-and-white etching of tangled plants and reeds. The leaves are thick and textured, some curling at the edges. Small birds or insects hide in the branches, and the whole scene feels wild and overgrown. The artist used fine lines and shading to make the plants look almost three-dimensional. This kind of detailed printing was tricky to do back then. Look up etching to see how artists like this carved their designs into metal.