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Study for a Border Design

Charles Sprague Pearce

1894

gouache

paper

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Impressionism Realism Late 19th Century Floral

Dominant colour

Study for a Border Design is a 1894 gouache 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 painting shows a simple branch with green leaves and clusters of red berries. The background is plain tan paper with two orange-brown stripes framing the design. The colors are flat and bright, with no shading to make things look three-dimensional. The artist used a loose, sketchy style to draw the leaves and berries, almost like a quick draft. This kind of drawing is often used to plan bigger, more detailed works. Next, check out the technique: gouache to see how artists use it for bold, flat colors.