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A Gothic Church by Moonlight

Mary Altha Nims

1840

From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art

Romanticism Early 19th Century Architectural

Dominant colour

A Gothic Church by Moonlight is a 1840 by Mary Altha Nims, a Romanticism work, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.

Who painted this?: Mary Altha Nims
When & what style?: 1840 · Romanticism
Where can I see it?: Cleveland Museum of Art

About this work

This sketch shows a church at night, lit only by moonlight. The building has a tall, castle-like tower with small windows and a crenelated top. Three pointed arches line the front, and bare trees stand in front of it. The whole scene is drawn in soft, muted tones, with shadows making the church look mysterious. The artist used strong contrasts between light and dark to give it a moody feel. This was a common trick in Romantic art to create drama. Check out chiaroscuro to see how this technique works in other paintings.