Key words
unfinished; colour
Questions to ask
How does the artist create a sense of depth and distance in this work?
The sky in this image is devoid of colour. Why do you think the artist made this decision, and what effect does this add to the scene?
Although this image appears to be very simple, it is still very appealing to the eye. How has the artist used colour and brushwork to create this appeal?
How this might inspire your work
Create a layered mountain landscape with a textured appearance.
Using a variety of coloured pencils, wax crayons, pastels and charcoal, take six rubbings on surfaces with very different textures.
Cut out mountain shapes from the rubbings. On a larger piece of paper, arrange the mountain shapes in layers to create depth in the image. Work into the image with watercolour paints to create details
Mountain Landscape 1843-1847 oil on canvas by George Frederick Watts (1817-1904).
In this oil study a still lake nestles between two slopes of the mountain landscape. Distant blue mountains rise beyond to the right of the composition. It is evident that this is not a finished piece of work as each plane of the composition is worked to a different degree: the sky has been left untouched and the blue mountains have been left unshaded; to the centre of the composition the mountain has been worked in naturalistic colours in light and shade, whereas the foremost terrain is worked only in light and mid-tones in brighter colours.
George Frederick Watts was a popular English Victorian painter and sculptor associated with the Symbolist movement. He lived in London and studied at the Royal Academy from 1835. From 1843 onwards Watts stayed in Italy where he began producing landscapes, of which this is an example.
Tullie House Museum and Art Gallery collection, purchased by Sir William Rothenstein 1939
Image © Tullie House Museum and Art Gallery
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