Two Barns
Louis Gabriel Moreau the Elder
1773
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Louis Gabriel Moreau the Elder
1773
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Two Barns is a 1773 ink by Louis Gabriel Moreau the Elder, a Baroque work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This sketch shows two small barns in a rural setting. The buildings are simple, with thatched roofs and open doors revealing empty interiors. Trees with twisted branches surround them, and a few people are scattered around—one near the right barn, another walking in the distance. The sky is lightly sketched with wispy clouds, and the whole scene feels quiet and rustic. The artist used lines to create texture, especially in the trees and grass, which gives the scene a rough, hand-drawn feel. This technique is called *etching*, where lines are scratched into a metal plate to make the print. Check out the technique: etching to see how artists like this one made prints.
