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Sketches for a Scroll

Charles Sprague Pearce

1894

ink

paper

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Impressionism Realism Late 19th Century

Dominant colour

Sketches for a Scroll is a 1894 ink by Charles Sprague Pearce, a Impressionism work, held at National Gallery of Art.

Who painted this?: Charles Sprague Pearce
When & what style?: 1894 · Impressionism
Where can I see it?: National Gallery of Art

About this work

This drawing shows simple, loose sketches of scrolls and scroll holders. The lines are quick and wobbly, like handwritten notes. Some scrolls are rolled up, others are unrolled, and a few have tiny details like strings or clasps. The artist used light watercolor to fill the paper, giving it a warm, paper-like look. The sketches feel like quick ideas jotted down, not polished work. Next, check out the technique: watercolor to see how artists use thin, transparent layers.