Study for "The Landing of Columbus"
1842
charcoal
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
About the artist
Artist
John Vanderlyn
John Vanderlyn (1775–1852) was an American artist, born in Kingston.
See the richer artist page1842
charcoal
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Study for "The Landing of Columbus" is a 1842 charcoal by John Vanderlyn, a Romanticism work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This sketch shows a bare-chested man holding a spear in his right hand. His left arm rests on his hip, and he stands confidently with one leg slightly forward. The paper has rough edges, and the drawing looks like it was done quickly, with smudged lines and light shading. The figure’s strong pose and the spear suggest he might be a warrior or explorer. This sketch was likely a practice drawing for a larger painting about Columbus. Next, check out the technique: scumbling to see how artists create texture with loose strokes.
John Vanderlyn (1775–1852) was an American artist, born in Kingston.
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