Open full image Pin

Study for a Border Design

Charles Sprague Pearce

1894

gouache

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 row of blue flowers with green leaves and red centers. The flowers are arranged in a curved line, like a border. The background is a light orange, and the whole thing looks like a quick sketch. The artist used a soft, watery paint called gouache to keep it loose and simple. The flowers aren’t perfectly detailed—they’re more like quick notes than a finished picture. Look up gouache to see how this technique works.