Nature Study
Classification
nature studies
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Gift of Mrs. Walter Shirlaw
Accession Number
1912-16-19
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
**Nature Study** by Walter Shirlaw1838–1909), a Scottish-born American artist captures the essence of late 19th-century observation of the natural world. Created between 1875 and 1880, this work falls within Shirlaw's mature period, when he was actively contributing to American illustration and fine arts through his roles at *Scribner's Monthly* and as a founding member of the Society American Artists. As an immigrant artist, Shirlaw bridged European influences—like Pre-Raphaelite attention to detail—with emerging American realism, making nature studies like this one vital for honing skills in...