Artwork
A Little Brook in Winter, Wiltshire
A Little Brook in Winter, Wiltshire is an ink print by Théodore Roussel. It dates from 1910 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Théodore Roussel’s 1910 dry‑point print titled *A Little Brook in Winter, Wiltshire* presents a wintery landscape rendered on laid paper. The image captures a narrow, dark watercourse bordered by leaf‑less trees whose twisted limbs create a natural frame. A distant structure, perhaps a tower, emerges faintly through the foliage, adding depth to the scene.
Subject & Meaning
The composition focuses on the starkness of a cold season, emphasizing the bare trees and the muted brook as symbols of quiet endurance. The limited palette and sparse details convey a sense of isolation, while the hinted architecture suggests human presence lingering at the edge of nature’s quietude.
Technique & Style
Executed in dry‑point, the work bears the characteristic rough, incised lines that result from directly scratching the metal plate with a needle. The marks appear uneven and spontaneous, indicating a possibly swift execution or experimental approach. The laid paper’s textured surface, now yellowed with age, enhances the tactile quality of the lines.
History & Provenance
Signed, though faintly, in the lower corner, the print is known to have been produced in 1910, during Roussel’s later period. Its current whereabouts are not widely documented, but the paper’s condition and the signature confirm its authenticity as an original impression from the artist’s hand.
Artist & collection
