Grove of Trees
1640
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1640
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This sketch shows a fuzzy, ink-washed scene of trees and ground. The lines are soft and uneven, blending into a light brown wash that fills the page. You can barely make out shapes—maybe branches or hills—but it’s all blurred together, like a quick, loose draft. The artist used quick, overlapping strokes to build up the shadows and texture. It’s not polished; it looks like a study, not a finished work. Next, check out cross-hatching to see how artists build depth with lines.
![A Stand of Trees [recto]](https://pub-3a17a9933ad74fb28aa30fa758592f23.r2.dev/artworks/88424b951e70bc89/thumb.webp)
