Artwork

The Dawn of Creation

The Dawn of Creation, by Samuel Jackson, ink, 1834
The Dawn of Creation, by Samuel Jackson, ink, 1834

The Dawn of Creation is an ink drawing by the Romanticist artist Samuel Jackson. It dates from 1834 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Samuel Jackson’s drawing entitled The Dawn of Creation dates from around 1834. Executed with brush and black ink, the work also incorporates areas where the artist has deliberately scratched out portions of the surface, adding a distinctive textural element to the composition.

Technique & Style

The piece combines fluid brushwork with the stark contrast of black ink, while the intentional scratching creates a sense of removal or erasure. This juxtaposition of mark-making and subtraction reflects a experimental approach to drawing that was emerging in the early nineteenth century.

Context

Created during a period when artists were exploring the expressive possibilities of ink and line, The Dawn of Creation exemplifies Jackson’s interest in merging drawing with a more gestural, almost sculptural manipulation of the medium.

Artist & collection

This work is in the public domain (CC0). Image source: National Gallery of Art open access. Spotted an error in this record? Tell us.