The Edge of a Wood at Nohant
c. 1842/1843
Medium
watercolor
Dimensions
overall: 15.5 x 20.5 cm (6 1/8 x 8 1/16 in.)
Classification
Drawing
Department
CG-E
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Gift of John S. Thacher
Accession Number
1985.16.2
Art Historical Context
Eugène Delacroix, a central figure of the French Romantic movement, created this delicate watercolor around 1842–1843 during one of his visits to Nohant, the rural estate of writer George Sand. The small sheet captures the quiet edge of a woodland, rendered with loose, fluid strokes that evoke the dappled light and textured foliage of the French countryside. Unlike his large-scale historical paintings filled with drama and emotion, this work reveals a more intimate side of the artist, drawn to nature’s subtle moods during periods of rest and reflection. As a watercolor, the medium allowed Del...
About the Artist
Eugène Delacroix · 1798–1863
Eugène Delacroix (1798–1863) stands as the defining figure of French Romanticism and a pivotal bridge to modernism. Born in Charenton-Saint-Maurice near Paris, he came from distinguished lineage—his mother descended from the prestigious Oeben-Riesener furniture dynasty, while persistent speculation suggested the statesman Talleyrand may have been his biological father, a theory supported by physic...