The Withered Tree
1696
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1696
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This black-and-white print shows a lone, twisted tree with bare branches clawing at the sky. The ground around it is rough, almost like cracked earth, with a few small bushes clinging to life. In the distance, a faint outline of hills or buildings appears, but the tree dominates the scene. The artist used sharp lines to show how brittle and dead the tree looks. This was a common way to show decay in Baroque art. Look up etching to see how artists like this made detailed prints.
