1910
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Pansies is a 1910 ink by James David Smillie, held at National Gallery of Art.
This sketch shows two pansies drawn in black lines on light paper. The petals are textured with fine strokes, making them look almost three-dimensional. The flowers sit close together, with one slightly behind the other. The artist used a simple tool to create the lines—likely a sharp point pressed into the plate. This method is called *etching*, where ink fills the grooves and transfers to paper. Check out etching to see how artists like this made detailed prints.
James David Smillie was an American artist, cofounder of the American Watercolor Society and New York Etching Club. His brother was painter George Henry Smillie.
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