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The image shows a detailed drawing of a tree viewed straight-on, with no visible horizon. The tree trunk is depicted with textured lines, and the branches extend outwards with intricate lines, creating a sparse canopy. The style features precise linework that follows the forms of the tree. The color palette is minimal, with the paper's neutral tone as the background and dark lines for the tree. A stark contrast is created between the lines and the paper, emphasizing the tree's form.
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The image shows a detailed drawing of a tree viewed straight-on, with no visible horizon. The tree trunk is depicted with textured lines, and the branches extend outwards with intricate lines, creating a sparse canopy. The style features precise linework that follows the forms of the tree. The color palette is minimal, with the paper's neutral tone as the background and dark lines for the tree. A stark contrast is created between the lines and the paper, emphasizing the tree's form.

National Gallery of Art · Drawing

Bare Tree [verso]

Fra Bartolommeo

Medium
pen and brown ink on laid paper
Dimensions
Overall: 28.7 x 21.7 cm (11 5/16 x 8 9/16 in.) support: 41.1 x 27.9 cm (16 3/16 x 11 in.)
Classification
Drawing
Accession number
1959.16.3.b
Credit line
Rosenwald Collection
Time span
1401 to 1500
Department
CG-E
Original NGA record Wikidata

Subjects and terms

  • Florentine
  • Landscape
  • topographical
  • landscape
Provenance

Bequeathed by the artist to Fra Paolino da Pistoia; given by him to his pupil Sister Plautilla Nelli (1523-1588), Convent of Saint Catherine, Piazza San Marco; purchased from the Convent in 1725 by Francesco Maria Nicolo Gabburri (1675-1742); possibly William Kent; purchased in southern Ireland in 1925 by a private collector; (sale, London, Sotheby's, 20 November 1957, no. 22, and mentioned p. V); purchased by Lessing J. Rosenwald, Alverthorpe, PA; gift to NGA, 1959.

Watermarks

Heart?

NGA object ID 45990. Collection metadata is reproduced under CC0. This work is included because its NGA published-image record is marked open access; visitors should recheck the source record before substantial reuse.