Spanish Church Interior
1880
watercolor
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1880
watercolor
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This watercolor shows a quiet Spanish church interior. Bright light hits a white altar with carved wood. Shadows pool in the side aisles. A single figure kneels in the distance. Sargent painted this on a trip to Spain in 1880. He used watercolor’s quick drying time to capture light effects that oil paint couldn’t match. The paper’s rough texture adds life to the wash of colors. Try another Sargent, John Singer.
