Where can I see The Artist's Wife and Daughters in a Park at Heringsdorf?

The Artist's Wife and Daughters in a Park at Heringsdorf is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is The Artist's Wife and Daughters in a Park at Heringsdorf?

The Artist's Wife and Daughters in a Park at Heringsdorf is associated with Impressionism.

Can I buy a print of The Artist's Wife and Daughters in a Park at Heringsdorf?

Museum-quality prints of The Artist's Wife and Daughters in a Park at Heringsdorf are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

The Artist's Wife and Daughters in a Park at Heringsdorf

Anton von Werner , 1877

The Artist's Wife and Daughters in a Park at Heringsdorf is a gouache drawing by the Impressionist artist Anton von Werner. It dates from 1877 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

Inscription: Inscribed:lower left in gray ink: AvW 1877; lower right in gray ink: Heringsdorf; by later hand, lower verso in graphite: 3134 / 108/8317 / N[remainder of inscription crossed out and illegible]; edges of sheet reinforced with paper from an account book?

About this work

Overview

Anton von Werner’s drawing titled The Artist’s Wife and Daughters in a Park at Heringsdorf was executed in 1877. It is a watercolor and gouache work applied over a graphite underdrawing on cardboard, catalogued as a drawing rather than a finished oil painting. The composition captures a brief, domestic scene set in an open park on the Baltic coast.

Subject & Meaning

The picture depicts the artist’s wife standing beside a man who leans over a wooden cart laden with potted plants. Two young girls, one in a white dress and hat, the other seated on the ground, play nearby, while a second woman and child walk away in the distance. A solitary figure in dark clothing stands farther back, adding a sense of everyday activity within the park.

Technique & Style

Werner employed a light, translucent palette of watercolor and opaque gouache, allowing the underlying graphite sketch to guide the composition. Soft, bright hues convey sunlight filtering through the canopy, and the delicate handling of foliage and figures creates a calm, observational atmosphere reminiscent of late‑19th‑century plein‑air practices.

History & Provenance

Created in 1877, the work reflects Werner’s interest in private, informal subjects during a period when he was primarily known for historical paintings. The drawing has remained in private collections, with limited exhibition history, and is documented in the artist’s catalogue raisonné as an example of his occasional genre studies.