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Trees at Box Hill

William Blake, Sir Richmond

1860

chalk

paper

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Impressionism Realism Late 19th Century Landscape

Dominant colour

Trees at Box Hill is a 1860 chalk by William Blake, Sir Richmond, a Impressionism work, held at National Gallery of Art.

Who painted this?: William Blake, Sir Richmond
When & what style?: 1860 · Impressionism
Where can I see it?: National Gallery of Art

About this work

This sketch shows a quiet winter scene with bare trees standing in a field. The branches twist against a pale sky, and the ground is lightly dusted with snow. Shadows cling to the trunks, making the trees look almost skeletal. The artist used soft black lines and white highlights to suggest light hitting the snow. It feels like a quick, rough sketch but still captures the cold, still air of the landscape. Next, check out the technique: chiaroscuro to see how light and shadow work together.