Landscape with Sheep

Landscape with Sheep

James David Smillie

1879

ink

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

About this work

This black-and-white scene shows a flock of sheep grazing under a large, leafy tree. The ground is uneven with rocks and patches of grass. In the distance, a lone figure sits near the water’s edge, watching the sheep. The artist used fine lines to show light and shadow, making the scene feel calm and real. This is an etching, which means the lines were carved into a metal plate before being printed. Next, check out etching to see how artists create prints like this.

More by James David Smillie

Artifact World Gallery — 100,000 artworks Get the app