Artwork
Drawing in album of 51 drawings and watercolours by James Duffield Harding
Drawing in album of 51 drawings and watercolours by James Duffield Harding is a drawing by the Impressionist artist James Duffield Harding. It dates from 1850 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
This drawing is a study in Harding’s teaching album from about 1850. It shows a broad-leaved tree, done in pencil or watercolor. The album has 51 sheets total, made to train students how to draw.
Harding wrote popular guides like *Lessons on Trees*. John Ruskin said he was the top European artist for leaf textures.
Check out Harding’s drawing technique next.
Overview
This drawing is part of an album of 51 works compiled by James Duffield Harding around 1850 as a teaching aid for his students.
Subject & Meaning
The drawing depicts a broad-leaved tree, likely created to demonstrate techniques for rendering foliage, a subject Harding addressed in his instructional guides.
Technique & Style
Executed in pencil or watercolor, the drawing showcases Harding's approach to capturing leaf textures and tree forms, an area in which he was considered a leading artist by contemporaries like John Ruskin.
History & Provenance
Harding was a prolific author of drawing manuals, and this album provides insight into his teaching methods and the materials he used in one-to-one instruction.
Artist & collection
Artist
James Duffield Harding (1798 – 4 December 1863) was a British landscape painter, lithographer and author of drawing manuals. His use of tinted papers and opaque paints in watercolour proved influential.
