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Study of a Scroll

Charles Sprague Pearce

1894

graphite

paper

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Impressionism Realism Late 19th Century Still Life

Dominant colour

Study of a Scroll is a 1894 graphite 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 rolled-up piece of paper lying on a flat surface. The lines are loose and rough, made with a brown pencil. The paper’s curve is simple but has a few small details, like the way the end flattens out. The artist used tiny dots and lines to build up the shading, which gives the scroll texture. This kind of drawing was often used to practice shapes and light before painting. Next, check out stippling to see how artists create depth with dots.