The Fountain
1835–1904
Medium
Pen and dark brown ink, brush and gray and brown wash
Dimensions
Drawing: 5 5/16 x 3 1/2 in. (13.5 x 8.9 cm) Sheet: 6 7/8 x 4 13/16 in. (17.5 x 12.2 cm)
Classification
Drawings
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Lincoln Kirstein, 1966
Accession Number
66.576.10(3)
Tags
Art Historical Context
Created by Danish artist Lorenz Frølich between 1835 and 1904, *The Fountain* is a delicate pen-and-ink drawing heightened with gray and brown washes. Measuring just over five inches tall, the compact sheet captures a lively outdoor scene centered on a decorative fountain. Frølich’s fluid linework and subtle tonal washes bring depth to the cascading water, surrounding foliage, and playful figures, demonstrating the technical finesse typical of 19th-century European draftsmanship. The composition features girls, putti, and cats amid leafy details, suggesting a whimsical, almost storybook atmos...