Artwork

A Blasted Tree (recto) Floorplan (verso)

A Blasted Tree (recto) Floorplan (verso), by Jasper Francis Cropsey, 1851
A Blasted Tree (recto) Floorplan (verso), by Jasper Francis Cropsey, 1851

A Blasted Tree (recto) Floorplan (verso) is a drawing by the Impressionist artist Jasper Francis Cropsey. It dates from 1851 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

About this work

Overview

A Blasted Tree (recto) Floorplan (verso) is a drawing by Jasper Francis Cropsey, featuring a detailed study of a dead tree on one side and a floorplan on the other.

Subject & Meaning

The recto side depicts a dead tree with twisted roots and split bark, set against a stormy sky. The drawing captures the tree's texture and damage, suggesting a powerful natural event.

Technique & Style

The drawing is characterized by dark lines and meticulous detail, with the artist carefully rendering the tree's surface and roots.

History & Provenance

The drawing was created as a study for Cropsey's painting The Cove--A Storm Scene in the Catskill Mountains (1851).

Context

Artists of the time often made detailed preparatory drawings before working on large-scale canvases, as seen in this example.

Artist & collection

Portrait of Jasper Francis Cropsey

Artist

Jasper Francis Cropsey

Jasper Francis Cropsey was an American architect and artist. He is best known for his Hudson River School landscape paintings.

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