Artwork
Autumnal Point
Autumnal Point is a print by Ernest Haskell. It dates from 1910 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
Ernest Haskell’s print Autumnal Point, executed around 1910, depicts a tranquil shoreline framed by a forest of slender, mostly leaf‑stripped trees. The composition balances a smooth water surface with a rugged, rock‑studded bank, inviting the viewer’s eye to travel from the dark silhouettes of the trunks to the subtle ripples that mark the water’s edge.
Subject & Meaning
The scene captures a quiet moment in late autumn, when the forest is shedding its foliage and the shoreline appears almost desolate. The juxtaposition of barren trunks against the faint suggestion of remaining leaves conveys a transitional atmosphere, hinting at the passage of seasons and the quiet endurance of the landscape.
Technique & Style
Haskell employs a strong chiaroscuro effect, using stark contrasts between deep blacks and delicate whites to model form. The print’s line work emphasizes texture: rough bark, jagged stone, and the gentle undulation of water are rendered through varied hatching and cross‑hatching, creating a sense of depth despite the absence of color.
History & Provenance
Created circa 1910, Autumnal Point entered the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art, where it remains on view. The work reflects Haskell’s early 20th‑century interest in printmaking as a medium for exploring atmospheric landscapes and the interplay of light and shadow.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Ernest Haskell was an American artist and illustrator, internationally famous in his lifetime and remembered for his etchings, as well as engravings, pen-and-ink drawings, lithographs and watercolors.
