A Tree in Full-Leaf
1776 to 1800
Medium
graphite on wove paper
Dimensions
overall: 8.3 x 10.6 cm (3 1/4 x 4 3/16 in.)
Classification
Drawing
Department
CG-E
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Gift of William B. O'Neal
Accession Number
1995.52.82
Art Historical Context
William Henry Hunt’s “A Tree in Full-Leaf” is a delicate graphite drawing created between 1776 and 1800. Measuring just 8.3 by 10.6 centimeters, the work demonstrates Hunt’s careful attention to natural detail on a miniature scale. Rendered on smooth wove paper, the graphite medium allowed the artist to build subtle gradations of tone that capture the dense canopy and branching structure of the tree. During the late eighteenth century, artists increasingly turned to direct observation of the natural world, and this small study reflects that shift. The compact format suggests it may have serve...
About the Artist
William Henry Hunt · 1790–1864
Comment on works: Still life; Genre; Landscapes