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Study for a Lunette

Charles Sprague Pearce

1894

gouache

paper

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Impressionism Realism Late 19th Century Mythology

Dominant colour

Study for a Lunette 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 sketch shows a group of robed figures in a curved shape, like a half-moon. On the left, three standing people wear long, flowing white dresses with their arms raised. One figure on the right kneels, also in white, with one arm resting on their head. The background is a pale blue arch, and the ground is a dull greenish-brown. The artist used quick, loose brushstrokes and soft colors, giving it a sketchy, unfinished look. This was likely a practice drawing for a larger work. Try looking up gouache to see how this water-based paint works.