The image shows a seascape view from a low angle, looking towards an expansive body of water. The horizon divides the ocean below from the sky above. There are no distinct objects on the horizon. The brushstrokes are textured and soft, with a subtle speckled effect creating movement in the water and sky. The color palette is primarily browns and sepia tones, creating an earthy and monochromatic feel. Rugged, rocky formations stretch into the water on the right, while the water extends into the distance, meeting a cloudy sky with varying shades of brown.
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The image shows a seascape view from a low angle, looking towards an expansive body of water. The horizon divides the ocean below from the sky above. There are no distinct objects on the horizon. The brushstrokes are textured and soft, with a subtle speckled effect creating movement in the water and sky. The color palette is primarily browns and sepia tones, creating an earthy and monochromatic feel. Rugged, rocky formations stretch into the water on the right, while the water extends into the distance, meeting a cloudy sky with varying shades of brown.

National Gallery of Art · Drawing

A Rocky Coast by Moonlight

William West or Samuel Jackson

Date
late 1820s
Medium
brown wash with blotting and surface scraping on wove paper
Dimensions
overall: 23.5 x 34.1 cm (9 1/4 x 13 7/16 in.)
Classification
Drawing
Accession number
1995.52.198
Credit line
Gift of William B. O'Neal
Time span
1801 to 1825
Department
CG-E

Subjects and terms

  • British
  • topographical
  • landscape
  • Coast
  • Time of Day
Provenance

Rev. Canon Charles Hugh Egerton Smyth (1903-1987), England; (J.S. Maas & Co. Ltd, London) purchased by William B. O'Neal, Charlottesville, VA, 1973-1994; gift to NGA, 1995.

NGA object ID 75952. 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.