A Waterfall, Moonlight

Ralph Albert Blakelock

by 1886 · Oil on canvas · The American Wing

This painting was shown at the National Academy of Design exhibition in 1886 and is a fine example of Blakelock's mature painting style. Although it features elements that are typical of the artist's style--generalized and silhouetted forms, glowing moonlight, and thick paint--it is particularly strong and subtle in comparison. The foliage that frames the edge of the canvas echoes the irregular contours of the tree so much that the forms seem almost able to interlock. The brushwork is varied with pigment loosely appled to create a richly colored surface, especially in the boundary between the light sky and the dark leaves.

Artist

Ralph Albert Blakelock

Date

by 1886

Medium

Oil on canvas

Culture

American

Department

The American Wing

Credit line

Bequest of Eda K. Loeb, 1952