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Studies of an Elderly Woman Knitting

Perry, Enoch Wood, Jr.

1880

gouache

paper

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Impressionism Realism Late 19th Century Portrait

Dominant colour

Studies of an Elderly Woman Knitting is a 1880 gouache by Perry, Enoch Wood, Jr., a Impressionism work, held at National Gallery of Art.

Who painted this?: Perry, Enoch Wood, Jr.
When & what style?: 1880 · Impressionism
Where can I see it?: National Gallery of Art

About this work

This sketch shows two quick drawings of an older person’s face in profile, along with a rough study of knitting hands. The lines are loose and sketchy, with some white chalk added for highlights. The paper is torn and stained, making it look like a quick practice piece. The artist focused on capturing the shape of the face and the movement of the hands. These kinds of sketches were often used to practice capturing real-life details. Next, look up the technique: gouache to see how it’s different from other drawing methods.