Tree Branches

Charles Reginald Aston

1852–1908 · Watercolor over graphite · Drawings and Prints

A native of Birmingham, Aston trained as an architect before turning to landscape painting. He traveled through Britain and to Italy seeking material, exhibited at the Royal Academy between 1862 and 1878, and joined the Institute of Painters in Water-Colours in 1882. The closely observed bark, moss, and foliage in this study communicate a reverence for nature, admiration for the teachings of John Ruskin, and an awareness of earlier Pre-Raphaelite nature studies. The lobed leaves growing in clusters that spring from artfully twisted branches belong to an ancient English oak.

Artist

Charles Reginald Aston

Date

1852–1908

Medium

Watercolor over graphite

Department

Drawings and Prints

Credit line

Gift of Robert Tuggle, 2007