Dawn
1898
Medium
crayon, gouache, gold paint, and graphite over silver gelatin developed-out print mounted to board
Dimensions
sheet: 37.9 x 23 cm (14 15/16 x 9 1/16 in.)
Classification
Drawing
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Borghi, in Honor of the 50th Anniversary of the National Gallery of Art
Accession Number
1991.105.31
Art Historical Context
Elihu Vedder’s “Dawn,” created in 1898, captures the quiet transition from night to day through a delicate interplay of light and form. Measuring just under 15 by 9 inches, this intimate work invites viewers to linger on its subtle gradations and luminous details. As a drawing in the collection of the National Gallery of Art, it reflects the late-nineteenth-century fascination with poetic, atmospheric subjects. The artwork’s medium is especially noteworthy: Vedder worked over a silver gelatin photograph with crayon, gouache, graphite, and gold paint. This hybrid technique allowed him to merge...
About the Artist
Elihu Vedder · 1836–1923
Elihu Vedder was born on February 26, 1836, in New York City to Dr. Elihu Vedder Sr., a dentist, and his cousin Elizabeth Vedder. As a young boy, his family relocated to Cuba for his father's ventures, an experience that sparked his artistic aspirations amid the Caribbean landscapes. He later divided his time between a boarding school and his maternal grandfather Alexander Vedder's home in Schenec...