Road along a Winding River
1648
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1648
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Road along a Winding River is a 1648 ink by Nicolas Poussin, a Baroque work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This drawing shows a winding river cutting through a hilly landscape. The lines are thin and precise, marking trees, paths, and distant hills. The paper has a grid of squares over it, like a mapmaker’s guide. The artist used only brown ink, with no shading—just lines to suggest depth. This was likely a study for a bigger painting, not the final work. Next, look up cross-hatching to see how artists build shadows with lines.
