1890
graphite
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Dominant colour
Landscape with a Washerwoman is a 1890 graphite by Adolph von Menzel, a Impressionism work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This sketch shows a woman bent over by a river, scrubbing clothes in a wooden tub. Tall trees frame her on both sides, their gnarled branches twisting above. The ground is a mix of shadows and patches of light, with fallen leaves scattered around. The artist used soft shading to show light hitting the water and the woman’s clothes. It looks like they smudged the graphite to blur edges, making the scene feel alive. Check out technique: sfumato to see how this effect works.
Adolph Friedrich Erdmann von Menzel was a German Realist artist noted for drawings, etchings, and paintings.
See the richer artist page
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