Watteau to Degas: French Drawings from the Frits Lugt Collection
October 6, 2009, through January 10, 2010
Paul-Gustave Doré (1832–1883)
View of the Forest at Westbridge
dated 1879
Watercolor and gouache over graphite
In this richly colored sheet, Doré focuses on the play of light filtered through the crowns of beech trees. Subtly varied tones of watercolor describe the glowing light on the upper portions of the trunks. Below, deep hues and touches of blue gouache suggest the murky shadows and cool, damp atmosphere in the heart of a dense forest interior, beyond the sun’s rays. The low vantage point and the vertical format of the sheet emphasize the height of the trees and suggest the forest’s endless depths. |
