Study for a Border Design

Charles Sprague Pearce

1894

ink

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Impressionism Realism Late 19th Century Floral

About this work

This sketch shows two rows of stylized leaves with clusters of round shapes at the ends—maybe fruit or buds. The lines are bold and dark, with some cross-hatching for texture. The background is a simple brown paper, and the edges have a decorative swirl pattern on the right side. The artist used gold paint for highlights, giving it a warm, almost glowing look. It’s clearly a study, so it’s more about shapes and patterns than realism. Want to see more? Check out the National Gallery of Art, Washington.